


Gilded Roses

by Sarcastic_Metaphor



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Eating Disorders, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fanart, Forced Marriage, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Possessive Behavior, Rape/Non-con Elements, References to Depression, Rose is a terrible human being, and Leon is trying his best to survive but his best isn't enough
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:22:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 68,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21612961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcastic_Metaphor/pseuds/Sarcastic_Metaphor
Summary: Rule one: Be the best trainer in the region. Done and done!Rule two: Always have a smile on his face. That was already easy for him to do, too. Smiles comforted his fans. They made Leon look more approachable. And most importantly, they made it look like nothing bothered him.Rule three: Always look his best. “His best” usually included wearing clothes and a cape plastered in his sponsors' logos. It usually meant having his eyebrows threaded, body waxed, and placed on a strict exercise regimen and diet. It took a little getting used to, but once Leon got the hang of it, it started getting easier.And always do as Chairman Rose says.And that was all there was to being Champion!FourThree little rules. Three tiny rules that had dominated Leon’s life for years.They weren’t going to change, so why did he keep hoping they would?
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Kibana | Raihan, Dande | Leon & Sonia, Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Leon/Rose (one-sided)
Comments: 781
Kudos: 1938





	1. Let [Me] Adore You

**Author's Note:**

> Heads up: This is a fic that will grow very dark very quickly. _Please_ be mindful of the tags!
> 
> To clarify a few things: This is indeed an AU where Rose is an emotionally manipulative abuser. I was inspired by their possible character dynamics and the fact that many teen/young adult celebrities today are subject to extremely high social and sexual expectations. 
> 
> This story also takes place about a year or two before the canon start to the games. (That's just a little bit of background info for y'all.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from the song Let Us Adore You, from Steven Universe

Leon was taken out of the suit he was currently wearing, attendants bringing him new clothes. This time, it was a dark crimson suit with suspenders, the material a smooth, glossy sort of silk. A makeup team touched up his face, combing his straightened hair and placing a little more nude lip gloss on his lower lip. 

He mostly sat still, impassive, just waiting to be returned to that white backdrop and waiting camera. After the makeup artist was satisfied, he was placed back in front of those harsh, white lights. More people instructed him on how to pose, and what kind of face to make. This time, Leon was made to stand with one foot in front of the other, thumbs hooked under his suspenders. The fingers on his left hand were adjusted. His hair was fixed so several locks strategically cascaded over his shoulder. Smile. Close his lips. Smirk more. Lower his eyes. Not that low. Inhale slowly so the swell of his chest was more noticable. 

“Perfect.” The photographer said. 

Leon was hit by a barrage of white lights flashing in quick succession.

Rinse and repeat. 

At least this photoshoot was moving a little faster than others he had experienced. And Leon wasn’t one for fancy suits, but these were a little more comfortable than what he usually modeled for. 

_“Lovely, Leon. You look positively splendid!”_ A voice said.

He did not look up from the very deliberately-angeled gaze he was supposed to maintain.

Once the photographer was satisfied, Leon exhaled. He was then placed in a new position, glancing over his shoulder this time. 

_“I’m wondering if you ought to keep that suit for the gala next week.”_ Rose said. Of course, he wasn’t actually there. He was viewing Leon through the lense of his Rotom phone. Currently, the Chairman was flying cross country after attending to matters related to his company. But while he was on the flight, he called Leon. To pass the time, supposedly. 

_“Oleana, which brand is this one again?”_ He asked.

Leon could vaguely hear Rose’s secretary’s response. 

_“Ah, well. Can you send them a check for whatever the suit costs?”_  
  
Another barrage of camera flashes. After they subsided, Leon sighed. “I can pay for it myself, Sir.”  
  
_“Nonsense, my boy! I’d be more than happy to take care of this for you.”_ He chuckled, _“After all, it is my fault for making you take on this job again, isn’t it?”_

Leon did not join in on the Chairman’s laughter. He was ushered away to be placed into his final outfit. Before becoming Champion, he never would have envisioned himself being a model. Not even part-time. The role was much more suited for someone like Nessa, who always had this calm, composed air about her. 

But Rose always insisted he take on these jobs. To keep up his image or something like that.

Leon returned, only to find his call with the Chairman disconnected. That was likely Oleana’s doing. The rest of the time passed by in relative silence, at least on Leon’s part. He didn’t start feeling like himself until he was back into the jeans and t-shirt he wore to the studio. The crimson suit was placed in a plastic wrap and waiting for him. He smiled and thanked the attendant that handed it to him. 

“...so serious.” Someone behind him said.

Leon turned around, spotting two other attendants speaking to each other. They were looking at him. Leon smiled at them.  
  
“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Can I help you with something?”  
  
The two young women looked at each other. One of them blushed. “Can we, um, get a picture with you?”  
  
Leon smiled a little wider. “Sure thing! I love meeting fans!”  
  
He let the two of them stand on either side and smiled at the camera. When it was done, he laughed softly. “These photoshoots always tire me out a little, you know? For some reason I can handle being watched in a stadium, but I always get a little camera shy at photoshoots. Weird, right?”  
  
The two young woman smiled and nodded. Just the reaction Leon was hoping for. 

He exited the studio for a fashion brand he didn’t even remember the name of, and called a taxi. He returned to Wyndon, hurrying down the streets to his apartment. He wasn’t wearing a hoodie or sunglasses today, and nothing about his clothes concealed his appearance. Still, Leon accepted his fate and stopped to take another picture with a couple of tourists before finally reaching his apartment. 

He took the elevator up to the highest floor. Leon unlocked his front door and stepped inside. 

He frowned. The floor to ceiling windows were exposed, curtains drawn back. His carpets and hardwood floors looked like they had been cleaned, and his kitchen was spotless. Leon was willing to bet his bedroom, bathroom, and balcony were also cleaned. But his cleaning staff were supposed to come next week. 

Leon set his suit down on the dining room table, going about drawing shut the curtains in his sitting room. Sure, the view of Wyndon was beautiful, especially at sunrise and sunset, but it was too much at most other times. It made Leon feel so exposed, like he wasn’t even living in an apartment. They made him feel like the whole world was watching him. 

It was like living in a terrarium. Or just the side effects of living in a penthouse. 

Rose probably sent the cleaning crew today while he was away, but Leon had no idea why. He often did strange things, going above and beyond for Leon too often. 

Like when Leon first became an adult and needed his own apartment in Wyndon. He thought he had found one that suited all his needs. Modest, clean, in a relatively new building, and in a very safe neighborhood. But it had appalled Rose.

The next week, he was paying for a penthouse in one of the richest neighborhoods in the city. And all for Leon. He was twenty now, and Rose was still paying his bills for him. It was, quite frankly, humiliating. But no matter how hard Leon tried to convince the Chairman that he was fine- that he could live in his own apartment and pay for things himself- Rose refused. 

And who was Leon to deny such generosity? Rose was a billionaire, after all. He could buy all the penthouses in Wyndon with what he considered pocket change.

Actually… that thought was a little scary. 

Leon tried not to dwell on it too much. And with his curtains drawn, he felt a little more at ease. The penthouse wasn’t as bright as before, but he was fine with that. Leon took the suit up the spiral staircase to his room and hung it on his closet door. 

His bedroom was connected to the master bathroom (and admittedly, that _was_ pretty nice). Leon leaned over the sink and splashed cold water on his face. The makeup artist already removed the stuff they put on him before the shoot, but Leon wanted to be sure it was all off. A few flecks of mascara washed away, but that was it.

He patted his face dry with a towel, not looking at himself in the mirror. 

Leon hated mirrors. 

So instead, he exited the bathroom and collapsed on top of the bed. He grabbed his phone, scrolling absentmindedly through Pokegram. 

His phone vibrated in his hands. 

**Hop:** _Hey Lee! How’s it going?_  
  
And Leon couldn’t resist smiling. Genuinely smiling. 

**Leon** **:** _Just got done with another dumb photoshoot. How’s Mum?_  
  
**Hop:** _She’s doing great. We just got done grocery shopping. I think she’s really looking forward to seeing you next week_

Leon exhaled through his nose, smiling a little wider. 

Wait… That gala Rose wanted him to attend was next week, too. Shit. 

But Leon already promised his family that he’d visit for a little while. It’d been over half a year since he saw them in person, and he didn’t want to back out of it now!

But Rose… 

He bit his lip.

 **Leon:** _Yeah! I can’t wait to relax at home for once. Maybe see Sonia again too_

He could take care of this. No need to make his family upset before he at least tried to fix this. So he carried on his conversation with his little brother like there wasn’t another event looming over his head.

Just smile. Just do his best. Just keep it up. It was what Leon was good at.

But Leon hadn’t managed to work up the nerve to call Rose that day. He just couldn’t. 

There were two types of disappointments when it came to the Chairman. The first was the kind where Leon made some sort of little mistake. Like making a poor choice during a match against Raihan, or not smiling as brightly as he should, or making a fool of himself by getting lost on the way to places he should know. Those were little mistakes. Those were things he trusted Leon to fix on his own, or traits that the public found endearing. 

The second sort of disappointment, however, was different. It came when Leon wanted to do something the Chairman hadn’t approved of. It was a tougher sort of disappointment. But Leon wouldn’t have become Champion if he was too cowardly to make difficult choices. He honestly planned to call Rose first thing in the morning to work out some sort of compromise. 

But at nearly midnight, after Leon was changed into his pajama pants and sleep shirt, he heard a knock at his door. Immediately, his sensed who it was. Still, to be on the safe side, Leon took a look through the peephole. And Chairman Rose was standing on the other side of the door, adjusting his watch. 

Leon unlocked the door and opened it.

“Oh, hello Rose.”  
  
“Ah, Leon. Good to see you again.”  
  
Rose let himself inside, slipping out of his shiny, leather loafers. Despite it being late at night, he was still dressed in his usual grey suit. 

Leon shut the door behind them, locking it. He asked, “Is there something you need?”

Rose chuckled. “Don’t worry yourself, Leon. We’re alone now, aren’t we?”

Leon swallowed.

“...Yes, Sir.”

“Good. Now, I’ve had an awfully long day, and I think I’d like to shower first.”  
  
Leon nodded, understanding why his apartment was cleaned earlier.  
  
Rose ascended the staircase, heading for Leon’s bathroom. At the top of the stairs, he paused to look over the balcony railing. “Well, come on, Leon. Do you really want to stand there all night?”  
  
“No, Sir.”

Leon made a brief stop at the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses before following Rose up the stairs. There was a hidden compartment in his walk-in closet, a small space in the wall built to conceal a collection of clothes that most certainly would not fit Leon’s size or style. Rose pulled out his crimson bathrobe and locked himself inside the bathroom. 

Leon noticed the wrinkles on his bed from where he had laid down earlier. He set down the bottle and glasses and smoothed his covers out while Rose was busy. Then he looked down at himself. He wore a plain black t-shirt, which he thought was fine. But Leon was also wearing the fuzzy pajama pants that Hop sent him as a gag gift last year. They were bright green and covered in cartoon drawings of dragon Pokemon. Truly an affront to fashion, but Leon kept them because they were cozy and reminded him of home. Still, he slipped out of them and looked through his dresser for something more appropriate. 

He found a pair of short shorts. One of the spandex pairs that he would never wear in public without his leggings underneath. (Because no matter the angle or how he tugged at them, they always showed the outline of his briefs.)

He slipped them on, and sat down on the edge of his bed. And he waited. 

Time always passed strangely during nights like this one. It seemed as if he blinked and the sound of running water slowed to a stop. 

Footsteps. Rose humming a little tune, just a smidge off key. He emerged from the bathroom dressed in his robe. He chuckled at the sight of Leon waiting for him. 

“Oh, you precious thing. Were you waiting for me? I’m flattered.”

Rose smiled as Leon wordlessly stood, moving over to his dresser. He poured two glasses of wine (Rosé, ironically), and placed one in Rose’s waiting hand. 

“Ah, thank you Leon. I’ve never truly enjoyed flying, I hate the turbulence.” He took a sip, “But you certainly know how to make me feel better.”  
  
“Thank you, Sir.”

Rose chuckled again. He gestured toward the bathroom. “Follow me for a moment.”  
  
So Leon did. He stood in the middle of his bathroom, the luxury bathroom that was the size of his bedroom in his old home, and waited. The glass of Rosé felt heavy in his hand. Rose set his glass down and looked in the floor to ceiling mirror against the far wall.  
  
“Come closer, Leon.”

…

“Oh, for Arceus’ sake, my boy, I don’t bite.” He said with a laugh.

Leon moved until he was standing side by side with Rose. He fixed his gaze just a centimeter to the side of his reflection.

“Take off your shirt for me.”  
  
And Leon did. The cool air nearly made him shiver. In his peripheral vision, Leon could see a young man staring back at him. A young man with purple hair and golden eyes and a lean, narrow torso. 

“I’ve been thinking lately.” Rose said. 

A warm hand without a single callous placed itself on the small of Leon’s back. 

“I think I’d like the look of you with a tattoo.”  
  
“Where?” Leon asked, voice soft.

That hand rubbed a little more firmly against Leon’s back. It took years of training to not instinctively tense up. 

Rose hummed.

“I’ve already got a few ideas picked out for you.”  
  
Rose’s Rotom phone lifted itself from the bathroom counter, coming over and levitating in front of Leon. There was a photo already on screen of a man with a similar body type and skin tone as Leon. But no visible face, and no way to know who this person was. Most importantly, there was the outline of a tattoo, a stencil, on the small of his back.  
  
A rose, framed by two smaller ones on either side and delicately accentuated with leaves. The screen switched to another model, or maybe the same one, with a different tattoo stencil. This one was a hyper-realistic rose, placed on the model’s shoulder blades.

The last photo was the most jarring. It was another model, but they were laying on their side. This stencil was of another series of roses, but much larger than the other two designs. And it was mostly framed by the swell of the model’s ass, stretching from their hip bone to their upper thigh. 

“Do you like any of them?”  
  
“Who are these people?” 

“Oh, just models from one of my smaller companies. But more importantly, Leon, did you like any of them? If you can’t decide, I’m personally partial towards the last one.”

The one that’d take the longest to finish, would hurt the most, and would be the hardest to hide, probably. Leon did not like that one. He didn’t like any of them. He didn’t want any tattoos at all. And if he did, he would want them to be designs he picked out, in places where he chose. 

“I… can I have some time to think about it?”  
  
“Certainly. It’s a big decision, after all. How long would you need? A day? Two? Three, even?”  
  
Rose was a very patient man in all matters except for when it came to Leon.

He swallowed. “Two days, at the most.”  
  
“Splendid.”  
  
Rose picked up his glass and took another long sip. 

A nagging sensation appeared in the back of Leon’s mind. That was right… he had a question to ask. 

“Sir?”  
  
“Yes, Leon?”  
  
He squeezed his shirt, still clutched in one of his hands. “Can I go home next week?”  
  
Rose gave him a funny look. “You _are_ home, Leon. Now come, I’m awfully tired.”

He started to exit the bathroom. Leon followed him. 

“No, I mean to visit my Mum and brother. Can I?”  
  
Rose paused, but he did not turn around. “The gala is next week.” 

Leon squeezed his shirt even tighter. “Please?”

“Everyone will be expecting their Champion to be there.”  
  
_“Please,_ Sir.”

“I’ll think about it. Give me… how about two days?” He chuckled to himself.

Leon blinked, not at all surprised. The Chairman loved his barters. Except, while he was willing to give days off and perhaps raises in paychecks, Leon was gambling with his whole life. 

He left his shirt off, sitting down on his bed and rubbing at his thigh. 

* * *

“You alright, mate?”  
  
Leon blinked, snapping back to attention. “Hm?”  
  
Raihan laughed. “You’ve been pretty out of it this whole conversation.”

Leon blinked again. “Oh, right. Sorry.”  
  
The two of them were eating lunch together. It was a rare occurrence where they both had the same hour open in their schedules. 

“Has there been something bothering you?”  
  
Leon took a bite of his sandwich, shaking his head. 

“Not really… just looking forward to the chance of going home next week.”  
  
“Ah,” Raihan said. “Honestly, I’m lucky my family lives in Hammerlocke. But Rose is honestly letting you off your leash?”

Leon’s shoulders stiffened a little bit. He really wished Raihan wouldn’t talk about him like that. Or use terms like _leash._

“Y-yeah, I’ve been talking to him about letting me skip the gala next week.”  
  
“Oh shit.” Raihan wiped his mouth, “That’s next week? Almost forgot.”  
  
And Leon laughed a little. _“You’re_ going?”  
  
“Course I am! Got an image to maintain, and a social media presence to bolster.”

Leon rolled his eyes. “You’re so full of yourself.”  
  
“And you love it.”  
  
Leon laughed. Despite being rivals, Raihan was one of his few close friends. They’ve known each other for years, and he never failed to make Leon smile. 

Once they finished their meal, briefly arguing over who was going to pay, they stepped out onto the sunny, Hammerlocke street. 

“Hey.”  
  
Leon looked to the side, then immediately tried to cover his face as Raihan pulled him in for a selfie. The pic was a mess. While Raihan had his picture-perfect smile ready, Leon was a blur of purple hair and his black snapback. 

“Don’t- Raihan!” He said. 

“Hey, okay, I won’t post it. Besides, you don’t look good enough for my account anyways.”

Raihan chuckled, but made a show of deleting the picture in front of Leon. He breathed a sigh of relief as the two of them started walking down the street toward the train station. 

“I don’t get it. You’ve got cameras on you almost all the time, from the stadium to interviews and photoshoots, but you can’t handle a selfie with your favorite person in the world?”

Leon rolled his eyes. “Who said you were my favorite?”  
  
Raihan snorted. “Obviously it’s me! You’re just too embarrassed to admit I’ve got you beat when it comes to our follower counts.”

Leon stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets. The conversation drifted toward friendly banter, all jabs with no bite. But it was true that Raihan was way more popular online than Leon will ever be. Raihan had a PR team, but he also had his own personal accounts that his fans preferred to follow. Leon, meanwhile, chose to leave his social media accounts to his own team. 

It was just something he couldn’t handle doing himself. He didn’t like looking in mirrors. He didn’t like taking selfies. He didn’t like the idea of announcing to the whole world what his breakfast looked like, or what clothes he was wearing on a given day. With the eyes of the whole region, and sometimes even the whole world, on him, Leon was going to take as much privacy as he could get. 

Leon and Raihan hugged before his train pulled into the station. As Leon boarded for Wyndon, he glanced over his shoulder. Raihan was waving him goodbye, still not leaving the train station. He smiled and waved back. It was nice, they way Raihan always made sure he got on his train before leaving.

But that night, after he had returned to his penthouse in Wyndon, Leon dreamed. 

He dreamt he was naked and staring at himself in the mirror. Leon was always a little bit of a lucid dreamer, although he never quite had full control. He stared at his feet. There was that scar on his ankle from when he was a little kid and fell down a hill. It was barely more than a thin, pale line at this point, but he could still see it. 

Leon’s gaze traveled up his legs. He had always been on the leaner side, to the point where he was underweight for most of his childhood. Not for any particular reason. Just genetics. 

His legs were lean and toned, and utterly hairless. Leon’s thigh burned.

His hips stood out to him, soft and slightly rounded from the little fat Leon managed to maintain.

Leon was given a strict exercise regimen and an even stricter diet plan. As such, his torso was smooth and toned. If he wanted to tense his stomach, he would see his abs more clearly. But a lot of care and planning went into ensuring Leon was still just a tiny bit soft. It made him look “more human”, as Rose had said. 

Ironic. 

Leon raised his eyes even further. His purple hair was naturally wavy and messy, framing his neck and shoulders in unkempt locks. His hair reached just a little past his shoulder blades now, and Leon hadn’t had a proper haircut in years. But he liked it the way it was, actually. The public loved his long hair anyways, and he actually got to choose whether or not to keep it. Still, Leon planned on grow it out as long as possible. 

Knowing he was dreaming emboldened Leon to look even higher up. His eyes, his bright, amber eyes, met the gaze of his reflection. And suddenly, Leon couldn’t breathe. He didn’t know if it was from relief or horror or longing or regret, but Leon could not breathe. He stared at the face looking back at him, one hand raising to touch his cheek. His reflection did the same. 

He wanted to cry. He looked like himself. 

And Leon’s eyes opened, revealing the sight of a dark bedroom. 

His hands curled into his sheets and he clenched his jaw. Leon closed his eyes and breathed in and out until his heartbeat slowed down. He turned his head to the side and opened one eye. The alarm clock read 2:02 am. 

His Rotom phone turned on, shining a beam of blinding light through the darkness before the screen dimmed. 

_“Leon?”_ His Rotom asked. _“Are you alright? I’m sensing that your heartbeat has spiked significantly in a short amount of time.”_

Leon squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled. “I’m fine.”  
  
_“Was it another bad dream?”_  
  
“No…” 

It wasn’t a _bad_ dream, at least not like a real nightmare. But it still left Leon shaking.

 _“Would you like me to inform Rose?”_  
  
“No!”  
  
Leon hauled himself onto his side, opening his eyes and staring at his Rotom. He swallowed, forcing his mouth to move. 

“I’m fine. I promise I’m fine. Just… just play some music for me, please.”  
  
His Rotom complied, returning to its resting state on Leon’s nightstand. It began Leon’s playlist for when he couldn’t sleep at the lowest possible volume. Most of it was classical music, but there were a few lullabies Mum used to sing for him. 

Leon closed his eyes, loosening his grasp on his bedsheets. 

He thought of Mum and Hop, and how close he was to seeing them again. He eventually drifted back off to sleep, but this time, Leon didn’t dream. He honestly couldn’t tell which he preferred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes yes yes I'm fully aware that condoning abuse is terrible, but this fic is meant to explore those themes, not encourage them. Pls don't be rude in the comments


	2. Better Not To Breathe Than To Breathe A Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this story and I couldn't resist updating it so soon! I got a lot of positive feedback that also made me more confident posting this! (But this is all I have written for the fic so far, so the next update will definitely come more slowly)
> 
> Please enjoy!
> 
> Title from Broken Crown, Mumford and Sons

_“Leon, Chairman Rose is expecting you in 24 minutes.”_  
  
“I know!” Leon said.

He woke up late again, sleeping through four alarms before Rotom finally forced him out of bed. Leon ran around his bedroom, brushing his teeth while shifting through his closet for clothes to wear. 

Cape, jersey, his athletic shorts and black leggings. Leon’s favorite snapback. 

He ran back to the bathroom, rinsing his mouth and reaching for his hairbrush. No time to wash his face or put on makeup. Well, Leon did dab a smidge of concealer over the little red mark on his nose. And a little mascara. He had long since accepted that he’d never be able to fully tame his hair without a team of professional stylists, but Leon did his best. He returned to his bedroom, throwing on his clothes and running down the penthouse stairs. 

No time to eat, he was already at risk of being late.

Thankfully, there was a taxi available outside his gated neighborhood. Leon made it to Rose Tower with five minutes to spare. Express elevator up, and he made it to Rose’s private viewing area at the top of the tower just before 9:00 am. 

“Ah, Leon. I was worried you would be late.” Rose said. He was standing by the glass dome, arms held loosely behind his back. He was staring down at the sprawling city below them. 

“Sorry, Sir. But I’m here now.”  
  
“Yes, yes you are. However, your Rotom notified mine that you were nearly late. And you had another nightmare, is that correct?”  
  
Leon’s blood ran cold. His phone grew heavy in his pocket. Traitor. 

He approached the Chairman, footsteps echoing across the viewing room. “I- it was just a bad dream.”

“But this is... what? The fourth one this month?”

“Yes, Sir.”  
  
“Should I have Oleana contact your therapist again?”  
  
“No, Sir. It’s just one bad dream here and there. I’m fine, I promise.”  
  
Rose hummed to himself. “I just worry for your health, you know that.”

“Yes, Sir.”  
  
A tiny voice in the back of Leon’s mind laughed hysterically. The man in front of him had never once cared for his well being. 

“Well then, if you’re certain you can handle it,” Rose turned to Leon and pulled his phone from his pocket. The Rotom hovered in the air, waiting for Rose’s next command. 

“Have you given any thought to the tattoo you would like?”

Leon lowered his gaze. 

“...Yes, Sir.”

Truth be told, he hadn’t thought about the models that looked like him or the tattoos on their skin. He didn’t want to think about them. Besides, Leon had already known his answer from the start.

Rose raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”  
  
Leon couldn’t meet Rose’s eye. His stomach churned.

“If I get the one you want, can I visit my family?”  
  
And Rose laughed, the sound echoing across the vast, open space. “Of course, Leon. You’re so good to me, how could I refuse?”

Rose’s Rotom opened up to its calendar app. It was Leon’s schedule. “Now, I’ve been told for a piece that large, it will take several hours and likely multiple appointments.”  
  
“I don’t care when it happens. But… can it please be after I come back?”  
  
Footsteps. A finger tilted Leon’s chin an inch higher, forcing him to look Rose in the eye. “Certainly, Leon. Anything for my Champion.”  
  
Anything, huh?

The idea made Leon want to laugh again.

* * *

That Friday, Leon stepped off the train with his rolling suitcase behind him. It was night out, the air crisp and chilly. He wasn’t in his usual uniform, but rather, a black hoodie and plain jeans. Leon wandered the streets of his hometown, allowing his body to move on autopilot. It was ironic, really. He could find where he was going if he didn’t think too hard about it. 

So Leon allowed himself to be carried past houses and rolling fields, seeing the occasional Pokemon appearing in the grass. 

The lights in his childhood home were on. Leon saw a face in the window as he approached. A moment later, Hop was throwing open the door, smiling from ear to ear as Leon walked up the porch steps.

“Lee!” He said. He threw his arms around Leon’s waist, squeezing as hard as he could. 

Leon laughed, letting go of his suitcase to hug his brother back. It hadn’t really hit him that he was home, not until that moment. He ruffled Hop’s hair, catching the scent of Mum’s cooking wafting from inside the house.    
  
“Leon?” She called. 

And then Mum appeared in the doorway. Leon breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her golden eyes and hair streaked with grey. He grabbed his suitcase and stepped inside, hugging her. 

Mum laughed. “Oh, Leon. It’s been too long since you’ve come home.”   
  
She smiled at him, patting his cheek and tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. 

“Come eat. I’ve made all your favorite foods just for you.”

Leon couldn’t stop smiling. He kicked off his sneakers and left his suitcase in the hallway as he followed Mum and Hop to the kitchen. But as he sat at the kitchen table with them, Leon was surprised by how much about home he had forgotten. He forgot the unmistakable scent of Wooloo that surrounded the house and the aroma of flowers that Mum always kept in a vase in the kitchen. He forgot the texture of the dinner table and the way his footsteps sounded on the old, hardwood floors.

But he was home now. And he had all week to become acquainted with everything again.

“So you didn’t get lost on the way home?” Hop asked. “That’s a new record!”   
  
“Hey!” Leon pouted. “I’m not that dumb! I at the very least know how to find my own house.”   
  
Was it strange to still consider this place home? Leon moved out as soon as he was an adult, and he was nearly twenty-one at this point. But his penthouse in the richest city in the region had never quite managed to match his childhood home. 

“Leon?”   
  
He looked up from his plate, pausing from stuffing his face full of food. Mum was staring at him, her smile gone. 

“Are you alright? You aren’t sick, are you?”   
  
_ “Hm?”  _ Leon hurried to swallow his food, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “What do you mean?”   
  
“You’re spacing out a lot.”

Shit. Leon rubbed the back of his neck. Hop was watching him now, too.

“I think I’m just tired. I might go to bed early.”   
  
Leon ignored the way Hop teased him about being an old man. Mum was laughing softly, and that was all that mattered.

After dinner, he tried to help Mum wash the dishes, but she shooed him away. So Leon took a long, hot shower and sprawled himself over his bed. (He was even wearing his bright green pajama pants!) Every house had a certain sort of smell, and Leon missed the scent of his old bedroom. Too often, his apartment smelled like lemony cleaner or rose candles.   


His phone vibrated next to him. 

**Raihan** :  _ Hey, pretty boy. Got home safe? _   
  
Leon smiled, holding his phone over his face.    
  
**Leon** _ : Yeah! I can’t wait to relax for a little while _

**Leon:** _Also, who are you calling pretty boy?_ _  
__  
_**Raihan** _: Only the prettiest boy in the world_

**Leon** _ : I thought that was you lol _

**Raihan** :  _ Well I didn’t want to sound like a narcissist  _

Leon laughed a little and rolled over onto his stomach. 

**Leon:** _Too late for that, isn’t it?_

Raihan sent him a pouty-face emoji. 

**Leon:** _ I’m kidding! _

Leon always got nervous when people seemed mad at him. 

**Raihan** :  _ Lol I know mate _

**Raihan** :  _ Don’t worry about it _

**Raihan** :  _ Send pics if you do anything fun in that tiny town of yours _

Leon exhaled. 

**Leon** :  _ I’m going to go to bed soon but yeah I’ll try to remember that _

**Leon** : _ Goodnight Rai _

Raihan sent him the star and thumbs up emojis. It made a little jolt of  _ something _ go through Leon. Something warm, something that promised safety. 

Speaking of which. 

“Rotom?”

His phone lifted from his grasp and hovered in the air. 

_ “Yes, Leon?” _   
  
“Why did you tell Rose about my dream? I said I was fine.”

Rotom glanced down.  _ “I know, but I have strict instructions to alert the Chairman in the event that I become concerned with your safety.” _

Such careful wording. Leon rubbed at his upper arm. He sighed. Rotom was just trying to do what it thought was the best for Leon. Even if it meant telling Rose. 

“It’s alright, Rotom. But please, if I think something is wrong, I’ll tell you. Okay?”   
  
Rotom bounced in the air, it’s equivalent of nodding. 

“Thanks, Rotom. You can take a break for now.”   
  
His phone settled back onto the bed as Leon stood up. He knelt by his dresser and sorted through the shirts he had at home. A lot of them were old, but a few still fit. He slipped one over his bare chest, still rubbing at his left arm. 

Rose wasn’t just in charge of the Pokemon League. His company owned companies that own companies that stretched from transportation to medicine to luxury goods and pet food. One such invention Rose made was a tiny micro chip designed to be inserted under one’s skin. Only the size of a grain of rice, it was meant to track the heart rate and stress levels of those prone to anxiety, heart issues, and more. The chip even came with an app that allowed one to view their own statistics. The world hailed it as an advancement in medicine and technology.

And Leon had one. In the tender inner portion of his upper arm where no one would notice it unless they were looking for it. And if anyone did, Leon always said it was a birthmark. But it was how Rotom was able to know when he had his bad dreams, among other events. 

He received it when he was eighteen, after the Incident _._ But Rose had paid for him to have it implanted and insisted that Leon keep it even to this day. 

Rose also had access to Leon’s account on the app. He could easily view all of Leon’s information. But with the position he held, he could even use the serial number of Leon’s chip to track his location, if he really wanted to. 

Leon turned off the lights and crawled back into his bed, trying to not pick at his arm. The chip was just one of those things he forgot he even had until it became relevant again. His own family didn’t even know about it. 

There were only five people in the world who did: Leon, his doctor, his therapist, Oleana, and Rose. 

But he didn’t need it. 

Leon set his phone on his dresser, just to have a little space between them.

He didn’t need it. 

Leon curled up on his side, pulling his sheets up higher.

He didn’t need it. 

Leon thought he already accepted the fact that he would never be alone again. The whole region knew his face. Rotom was always with him. And Rose could view Leon’s own heartbeat whenever he pleased. He was fine with that. He was fine with the glorified tracking chip under his skin. The Incident was far behind him. There was no reason for him to be stressed anymore. He knew he didn’t need it.

* * *

Rose was a creature of habit. For many years, he worked hard during the day so he could unwind at night. And his nights usually included a soothing cup of tea, a warm bath, maybe a glass of wine here or there, and a good book. 

His nights also included checking in on Leon. Not always in person, however. No, he preferred the more discreet method more often than not.

“Rotom?”   
  
_ “Yes, Sir?” _   
  
“How is he doing?”   
  
There was no doubt who  _ he _ was. Rotom lifted itself off the coffee table in Rose’s sitting room and landed gracefully in his waiting palm. The app was already open and waiting for him. And Leon’s slower-than-usual heart rate indicated that he was likely already asleep. 

“Hm. Earlier than usual, isn’t it?”    
  
_ “About one hour and forty-six minutes earlier than his average bedtime.” _

Rose could understand why. Leon had a busy day of finishing up his duties before catching one of the last trains to his little hometown. 

“Thank you, Rotom.”   
  
_ “Certainly, Sir.” _

Rotom set itself down on the armrest of Rose’s reclining chair. The artificial fireplace in his penthouse burned brightly, keeping him warm.

Rose couldn’t say why he liked viewing Leon’s vitals so often. Or why he had incorporated it into his nightly routine. There was a sort of satisfaction that came with it, he supposed. Leon always informed Rose of when he planned on exercising at night. And he always received alerts indicating if Leon was having one of his episodes. 

So ensuring that Leon’s heart rate stayed rhythmic and slow at night meant that he was likely asleep at home. That Leon wasn’t trying to whore out his body when he thought Rose wasn’t looking. His beautiful, precious body that Rose had so generously donated thousands of dollars to look the way it did. 

Yes, maybe that was it. Regardless, Rose quite liked knowing when Leon was asleep.


	3. Shouldn’t Show A Trace Of Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I lied about the next update being more slow to come. 
> 
> This is a little bit of a lighter chapter, so not as angsty as the last two. I’m also updating this fic so frequently because I know myself, and I know that I need to ride this wave of wanting to write for as long as possible. (So pls give me validation.)
> 
> Title from Escapism, Steven Universe

The last time Leon saw his family in person was half a year ago. The last time he had a vacation, a proper vacation complete with a distinct lack of work, was probably at least two years ago. As such, his body naturally woke up at seven in the morning. Leon pulled his covers off and was half way out of bed before he paused. 

A smile dared to spread across his lips. Leon looked around the room he was in. His beloved collection of caps, which Rose largely deemed childish, greeted him. He looked out the window. Rolling, grassy fields stretched for as far as he could see. 

That was right. Leon was home.

So he slowly eased himself back into bed. He laid down, and actually went back to sleep. Leon slept past eight o’clock, past nine o’clock, and even ten o’clock. Eventually, the restless energy starting to build up in his bones outweighed Leon’s desire to stay in bed. And as Leon was brushing his hair in the bathroom, he almost had the strength to look at himself in the mirror. Almost. He got as far as vaguely staring at his eyes before he looked away.

After getting dressed, he walked down the stairs, phone in hand.

 **Leon:** _Hey! I’m back home for the week_

He didn’t expect to get a response immediately.

 **Sonia:** _What?? When did you get home?_

 **Leon:** _Last night_

 **Sonia:** _and you didn’t tell me? >:(_

Leon paused outside the kitchen, biting his lip. 

**Leon:** _Sorry!! I forgot. But I’ll treat you to lunch?_ _  
_  
**Sonia:** _lol u know I’m not actually mad, and yeah I would love to get lunch. Is today good?_ _  
_  
“Leon?”  
  
He looked up. Mum was staring at him from where she sat at the kitchen table. She set down her book. 

“Who are you talking to?”  
  
“Sonia. She wants to go out for lunch today.”

Mum smiled. “Oh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen her! Tell her to stop by sometime.”

Leon nodded, relaying the message to Sonia. Meanwhile, he heard Mum’s chair slide across the floor. 

“She says she’d love to-”  
  
Leon stopped, eyes widening as Mum gently took hold of his face. She was still smiling, but there was a little teasing glint in her eye. “You know, Leon. I don’t remember you being this handsome.”

“Mum!” Leon said. 

He wriggled out of her hold, drawing his snapback over his face. 

“You look even better than your father did at your age. Although, that’s probably due to _my_ genes.”  
  
_“Mum!”_

Leon retreated, intending to get himself a glass of water. He busied himself with rifling through the cupboards for his favorite mug, the one that looked like a Dragonite head. He refused to meet his mother’s gaze.

“What? Am I not allowed to compliment my own son? Would you rather I call you ugly?”  
  
_“Please_ do.” Leon said as he filled his mug.

Mum sounded much less happy when she said, “Leon, stop. Don’t say things like that.”  
  
Leon risked a glance to the side, finding his Mum watching him.

“Sorry, Mum.”  
  
He lifted the mug to his lips, obscuring most of his face with it and his cap. Leon hurried from the kitchen, stopping by his room to grab his wallet before heading out. He forced himself to not think too hard about where he was going, traveling down dirt paths and then cobblestone roads. Before he knew it, Leon was in front of Sonia’s house. He knocked on the door and Professor Magnolia answered. 

“Ah, Leon. Sonia mentioned you were home this week.”  
  
She stood aside, letting him in. “How have you been? Rose hasn’t been working you too hard, has he?”

Leon laughed. “Comes with being Champion, though, doesn’t it?”  
  
He looked around. “Is Sonia here?”  
  
He heard footsteps, then saw Sonia hurrying down the stairs. 

“Leon!” She nearly threw herself at him, squeezing him in a hug, and he grunted as he tried to keep both of them standing. 

“Hi, Sonia.” He said, voice muffled by the collar of her jacket.

She laughed as she let go of him. 

“It’s so good to see you!” She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “But it’s a little early for lunch, so how about some shopping?”  
  
“What? The boy’s here for a minute and you’re already asking him to pay for your next dress?” the Professor asked, “Wait at least five minutes next time, Sonia.”  
  
Leon raised his eyebrows at Sonia as Magnolia started walking away. “Yeah, Sonia, how about you- ow!”  
  
He pouted as Sonia punched him in the arm. 

“Come on, Leon. Let’s get going.” She said. 

Sonia slipped out the front door and Leon followed. 

They visited a few shops in town, and Leon noticed they were the more upscale boutiques. And if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t mind it. Any time with one of his friends was a good time to him. And Leon, being a world-famous, massively sponsored region Champion, had a little more money than he knew what to do with. He didn't mind paying for Sonia’s new jacket. Or her new designer sunglasses.

“Seriously, Leon. When I said to go shopping, I didn’t mean you actually had to pay.”  
  
“But I want to! Just think of them as early birthday presents.”

Regardless, Sonia refused to let him buy anything else for her after that. However, Leon saw a pack of heart-shaped hair clips on display in one of the shops, and snagged it before Sonia saw him. They were so perfect for her, he just couldn’t resist them.

By then, they were both getting hungry. Leon was willing to eat wherever Sonia wanted, so they ended up sitting down at a tiny vegetarian restaurant that she liked. 

“So… anything exciting happening with you? Other than the usual stuff?”  
  
Leon shrugged. “Nothing, really. Just prepping for the next season.”

But then, he thought back to Rose and their bargain.

“I’m thinking of getting a tattoo.” He said.

Sonia paused, setting her fork down. “No way.”

Leon’s fingers drummed on the table. They chose one of the outdoor tables, despite the slight chill in the air, but now he was thankful for the lack of people around them. 

“What are you getting? Where? And when’s the appointment and can I come?”  
  
Leon’s fingers drummed faster. 

But he’d gotten good at playing Rose’s games over the years. One of the important things Leon needed to do was make things seem like his idea. Especially when it came to something as visible as a tattoo. It would look less suspicious if Leon told someone close to him about it.

“I...well… I haven’t really decided when I’m getting it. Soon, though.”  
  
Oleana probably already filled in the time slots in his schedule. 

Sonia laughed. “I don’t believe you. Do you remember when you came with me when I got my first tattoo?”  
  
Leon’s face flushed red. 

Sonia’s first tattoo was a Butterfree on her lower back. They were eighteen at the time and Leon had gone as her moral support, except as soon as he saw the needles, he nearly passed out. He just hated looking at them. 

“What made you want to get a tattoo?” She asked, voice softer now.

Leon shrugged. “I just wanted one. And I like that one flower tattoo you have.”

Sonia’s right upper arm was decorated in a half sleeve of magnolia flowers. But it was true that Leon liked it. 

She raised a brow at him. “So you’re getting a flower?”  
  
Leon nodded, averting his gaze. “Roses.”

“Oh Arceus.” Sonia leaned her head back and laughed. “You’re such a big softie, you know that?”  
  
“What’s wrong with roses?”  
  
Was there something about getting a rose tattoo that Leon didn’t know about? Did it have some sort of weird meaning? Leon was never good at knowing those sorts of things.

But Sonia just smiled at him. She stirred her metal straw in her glass. “Oh, nothing honestly. I just think they fit you.”

Leon’s skin crawled.

He forced himself to smile. “You really think so?”  
  
“Yeah, actually.”

Sonia sipped her drink. “But where are you thinking of getting it?”  
  
And there it was. 

Leon didn’t answer right away. 

“Leon?”  
  
“Well…” He took a slow breath. “If I show you, you have to promise not to laugh at me.”  
  
“Why? Is it someplace weird?”

Leon was rapidly becoming less and less comfortable with this conversation. “No, it’s just easier if I show you.”

He glanced around to make sure no one was focusing on them. Then, he stood up and used his hands to frame roughly how much of his leg the tattoo would cover.

Sonia stared at him and whistled. “Damn, Leon. That’s a big piece for your first tattoo. Why not try for something smaller?”

So he knew for sure now that the tattoo Rose wanted was going to hurt a lot, and also possibly be too much for Leon to handle. Wonderful.

He quickly sat back down. “I don’t know. I just want it, so why not get it now?”  
  
“Okay… but knowing how squeamish you are, you might actually pass out. Whenever it your appointment is, let me come with you.”

“No.” Leon said without thinking. 

Both he and Sonia seemed surprised.

“I mean, I… well, to get it I’d probably have to, you know, not wear…”

“Well, in that case I wouldn’t be in the room with you.” Sonia said. “But why not take Raihan instead?”

Leon nearly choked on his sparkling water. “Why Raihan?”  
  
“He’s a guy friend, isn’t he? I’m sure he’d love to support you. And also help get you home if you do faint.”

A sound escaped Leon’s throat. “No. No way.”

Leon couldn’t imagine what Rose would do or say if he found out Leon wanted to bring Raihan. But Sonia gave him a look. It was The Look that promised Leon that she knew better than him. 

But they had also known each other since they were little kids, and she knew when Leon had had enough of a particular topic. They drifted away from the subject of tattoos and needles and really nice to catch up with Sonia. Leon might’ve considered Raihan his best friend, but she was basically his sister. 

After lunch, he walked with Sonia back to her house, slipping the heart-shaped hair clips into one of her shopping bags along the way.

“We’ll talk later, okay?” She asked.

Leon tipped his cap to her. “Of course!”  
  
Sonia rolled her eyes as she stepped inside her house, and Leon turned back to head home. Just to keep himself from thinking too hard, he pulled out his phone. Raihan sent him a few texts. 

**Raihan:** _Hello?? What’s this?_  
  
The text was accompanied by a screenshot from Sonia’s Pokegram account. She was smiling at the camera with her new sunglasses on, and Leon was in the background. He must have been looking at something else at the time, because he didn’t even notice when Sonia took a picture of him. 

**Raihan:** _You guys were hanging out without me?_

Leon and Sonia started their Gym Challenge together as kids, but met Raihan along the way pretty early on. He and Sonia were actually fairly close.

 **Raihan:** _Also, how come Sonia gets to take pics of you?_

 **Leon:** _I didn’t even know that she did it._

Sonia’s caption made no mention of Leon, and his face was a little blurry, but it would be clear who he was to anyone in Galar.

 **Raihan:** >:( 

**Raihan:** _if she gets a blurry selfie with you, I want one too!_

Leon frowned. Sonia didn’t try as often as Raihan to get Leon to pose for pictures. She just probably forgot that he didn’t like selfies. But Raihan on the other hand...

Leon glanced around, making sure he was alone. Then he held his phone out in front of him, squinting a little in the sunlight and smiling before taking a picture. It was blurry, just like how he was in Sonia’s picture, but Leon really didn’t want to try taking another. 

**Leon:** _I’m sorry!_ _Will this make up for it?_  
  
**Raihan:** _OwO A rare Leon selfie? I could sell this for like $2!_

 **Leon:** _Rai!_

 **Raihan:** _Kidding! U look great, honestly_

And Leon almost smiled.  
  
**Leon:** _Thanks, Rai_  
  
Yes, Leon hated it when people complimented his appearance. But for some reason, when Raihan did it, it was different. It made him a little bit happier.

And before Leon knew it, he had arrived at his house. And he hadn’t taken a wrong turn even once.

* * *

Raihan was training with his Pokemon when Leon texted him back. His team was currently taking a break as Raihan reread their conversation. He felt a little bad, though. He didn’t mean to make it sound like he was actually mad. He only wanted to make Leon laugh, but it seemed like he also failed on that front too.

Leon must have really wanted to make up for it, then, if he sent Raihan a selfie. 

(It was weird, though. Leon wasn’t always like this. He used to be so good at picking up on Raihan’s humor.)

Still, Raihan knew exactly the amount of dedication that it would take for Leon to willingly take a picture of himself. 

It was clearly taken outside, the lighting was a little too bright and Leon’s hair was messy from the wind. Still, he was smiling the way he did when they were in person. Not the fake, staged smile Leon gave for photoshoots or promotional shots. It was the slightly-lopsided grin he was constantly trying to hide from the world. 

And his _eyes._

Raihan knew that Leon didn’t wear colored contacts, but that just made them even more beautiful. In the natural sunlight, Leon’s eyes looked like glowing champagne with their soft, golden hue.

Raihan saved the photo. And after hesitating for a second, he made it his phone’s inner wallpaper. (Totally normal, right? People had pics of their friends and used them as their wallpapers, right?)

He still felt a little bad because he wasn’t sure how Leon himself would feel about it. But Raihan was only human. And after being in love with Leon since they were twelve, he just couldn’t resist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, the rating on this fic is going to change from M to E soon.


	4. One Morning This Sadness Will Fossilize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for sexual content with non-con themes. Read at your own discretion.
> 
> **Also, this chapter has NSFW art at the end of it, so be mindful of that, thank u!**
> 
> Title from Fireworks, Mitski

The week felt as if it went by in the blink of an eye. But Leon still tried to make the most of it. He met with Sonia again, helped Professor Magnolia with a few tasks, ran errands for Mum, and most importantly of all, spent as much time with his little brother as possible.

Hop hadn’t changed. He was still excitable and impatient, and he still looked at Leon like he was the greatest person in the world.

(Would he still think so if he knew all the things Leon did because he was too weak to stop them? Would Hop be disgusted with Leon because of all the ways he had been taken advantage of and twisted until he was Rose’s own creation and would Hop stop wanting anything to do with him if he discovered the things about Leon that he let change because he was weak, Leon was so so so weak and Hop deserved a better brother than him and-)

Leon loved Hop dearly. But in his brother’s eyes, Leon could do no wrong. Even when Leon tried to say that no one was perfect, it was clear that Hop wasn’t listening.

Leon really, truly wanted to enjoy his time at home. He desperately wanted to make lasting memories with his little brother, going on explorations of the tall grass together and grabbing lunch wherever they wanted. But there was something else he couldn’t ignore anymore. 

Hop just turned nine. In a year, he’d be at the minimum age required to challenge the League. Even though he was a little kid, Hop was brimming with potential and the thirst to prove himself. Leon had no doubt that Hop would one day rise up through the ranks of the challengers and reach the final Championship Cup. And maybe even face Leon one day. So Leon spent the last night he had at home laying awake in bed, tortured by the idea of Hop uspuring him. 

Of Hop becoming Champion.

Of Rose doing to Hop what he has been doing to Leon.

It made his stomach churn with both disgust and fear.

He turned onto his side, staring at the gap in his curtains. A beam of moonlight fell into his bed. Leon closed his eyes. When the time came, Hop would probably want Leon to endorse him. Of course he could say no, but that wouldn’t work forever. With his ambition, Hop would find someone to endorse him eventually. So what was Leon going to do?  
  
The idea of keeping Hop from having his own adventure broke his heart. But the idea of Hop potentially beating Leon left his whole body brimming with cold, heavy dread. So would it be better to endorse Hop as soon as possible? As soon as he turned ten? 

At that age, he would still have plenty to learn and very little practical skill. Maybe if he was convinced the League wasn’t for him, that being Champion wasn’t really worth it, then he’d be safe. Hop would never have to go near Rose. 

But then again, Leon undertook the Challenge at age ten and became Champion. He was twenty now. Ten whole years of reigning over the League…

What if Hop became Champion? What if he held the position for ten years too?

Leon’s hands twisted into his sheets, gripping them with white knuckles. He hated how weak he was. He hated how little he could do to keep his own brother safe. A tear slipped down his cheek, but he bit down on his lip to keep from crying aloud. 

Leon really was pathetic.

* * *

He stepped off the train and was greeted by the tall, immaculate skyscrapers of Wyndon. Leon took a wrong turn on the way to his penthouse, backtracked and followed the landmarks he recognized. He walked past the plaza with the fountain shaped like a Milotic. He passed by the flower shop with the spotted awning. Leon kept walking and eventually found his way home. 

He took the elevator up. His front door was already open. And Rose was in his sitting room, reclining on one of his couches. 

“Oh, Leon. I didn’t expect you home so soon.” He said. “I was certain you would want to take one of the later trains back to Wyndon.”

Leon blinked, the world snapping back into focus around him. Fuck. He didn’t even remember saying goodbye to Mum and Hop. Leon was sure he did, but the entire morning passed by in a horrible, clouded haze.

Rose stood up. He was in his casual clothes, a loose pair of shorts and shirt. He walked over to Leon, cupping his jaw with one had.

“You look tired. Have you not been sleeping well?”  
  
“I’m just not wearing makeup today.”

It was true. Leon became painfully aware of the lack of foundation on his face. Something he did actually forget to do in the morning. Rose patted his cheek.

“Oh, I know that can’t be it. You always look stunning regardless of your makeup.”

Leon flinched from Rose’s touch. The other man hardly seemed to notice. He walked away, going to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of wine.

“Could it be that you’re having more nightmares?”

Leon didn’t move from the front door. Why was Rose here?  
  
“I’m fine.” 

“So you say. But I know you haven’t been sleeping well.”

Rose sipped his wine. “It almost makes me want to postpone your first tattoo appointment.”

Leon stared at him. “When is it?”  
  
And Rose smiled. “Tomorrow morning.”  
  
Oh. Leon thought his heart stopped for a moment. 

Rose never was a patient man.

“T-tomorrow?”  
  
“Yes, at ten am. I’m surprised you didn’t check your schedule. You’re supposed to drink lots of water and eat a large meal beforehand. And don’t worry, Oleana cleared up your schedule for the next few days so you can rest.”

Rose chuckled. “Oh please, Leon. What’s with that face? I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. This artist is a friend of a friend, and one of the very best in Unova. They’re flying to Galar just for you.”

A friend of a friend? Leon knew that just meant someone in Rose’s pocket. 

Leon took off his shoes and left them by the door. He accepted the glass of water Rose pressed into one of his hands and drank it all. Was this worth it?  
  
Leon stared down at the empty cup in his hands. He got a week to see his family and to enjoy being home. Just seven days, in exchange for another piece of him that Rose was going to take away.

But seeing Sonia and being able to laugh with her, being with Mum and eating her home cooked meals, and going on adventures with Hop…

Leon allowed Rose to refill his glass. He chugged the water with shaking hands, a small stream trickling down his jaw. It was worth it. Leon just had to grit his teeth and endure this week.

But none of this answered the question of why Rose was in Leon’s penthouse. 

“Why are you… is there something you needed from me?”  
  
Rose had returned to Leon’s sitting room. He looked up from the book he was reading. 

“Oh, well, would it be absurd to think that I missed you?”  
  
Rose smiled and sipped his wine. “You left me all alone for an entire week. I suppose I got a little impatient and decided to surprise you.”

Leon’s grip on his glass tightened. “I’m… I think I’m going to go unpack.”  
  
He lingered for half a second, waiting until Rose went back to reading his book before grabbing his suitcase. Leon shut himself inside his bedroom (not locking it, Rose would be livid if Leon ever tried locking him out) and barely put any thought into where he left his clothes.

He sat down on his bed, leaning his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands. He knew Rose expected him to return to the sitting room. He knew he shouldn’t be spacing out like this, but Leon just needed a moment. 

He took a shaky breath in and counted for seven seconds. He exhaled and repeated. He couldn’t cry. If Rose saw him crying…

Leon took another breath in, holding it in for as long as possible, and exhaled.

The door opened behind him. 

Leon held his breath. 

Rose sat down next to him and wrapped Leon in his arms. He removed Leon’s snapback and combed through his hair.

“Oh, shush Leon. You’ve endured much more strenuous procedures, haven’t you?”  
  
He hated the feeling of Rose’s touch, but he didn’t move. He squeezed his eyes shut, exhaling a shuddering breath. Rose coaxed him until Leon was leaning against his chest. He pulled Leon’s hands away from his face.

“You’re going to be good for me, yes?”  
  
Leon swallowed, staring into Rose’s eyes. “Yes...Sir.”

A kiss was pressed to his lips. 

“Wonderful. I just know you’re going to do so well.”

Another kiss. One of Rose’s hands remained in Leon’s hair, cupping the back of his neck. His other hand drifted lower, settling on Leon’s thigh.

_No,_ he thought. _Not now. Not now…_

But when Rose pulled away, Leon knew there was nothing he could do. Rose had that look in his eyes, the one burning with hunger. 

Leon was urged by hands and lips more towards the center of the bed. He was pressed onto the sheets, his hair spread out over the pillows like a fan. His hands twisted into the sheets beneath him, so much softer than the ones at home but somehow less inviting. Rose yanked his shirt up, tearing some of the stitches. Leon shivered as his chest was exposed to the air. 

“Wait… please, just wait-”

One of those hands cupped his chest while the other forced Leon to look at Rose.

“I have _been_ waiting, Leon. I waited a whole damn week to get you back. Now, stop whining.”

And Leon did as he was told. There was nothing he could do to convince Rose to slow down, so he braced himself the best he could as he was laid bare and subjected to this man’s every desire. He’d done it before, he was certainly going to have to do it again, so why was he so scared now?

“Beautiful.” Rose said. “You’re absolutely stunning. How could you be so cruel as to run away from me?”  
  
Leon hated those words. He hated the heat between his legs. He most hated the gasps and sparks of pleasure Rose forced out of him. 

Hands wrapped around his throat.

“Look at me, whore.”  
  
And Leon’s eyes snapped open. One of his hands reached up, grasping at Rose’s forearm. Not trying to make him stop, never, but to plead. 

_Please, don’t..._

But those fingers only tightened. 

Leon’s vision became clouded by dark spots. His lungs burned and his heart hammered in his chest.

It would have been a mercy if Rose actually allowed him to pass out. But just as his eyes began to roll back in his head, Rose let go of him. He choked on a gasp.

Leon could barely think. He could barely breathe. His bursts of pleasure were overshadowed by the haze settling over his mind. But at least this wasn’t happening to anyone else he knew.

* * *

Leon stared at himself in the mirror. (Not his whole self, just his neck.) He tried swallowing the lump in his throat, and even that hurt. It was nearly midnight. He could barely remember what he did after he and Rose fucked. Took a shower? Ate dinner? Leon genuinely didn’t know. 

But his throat was definitely going to be bruised in the morning. 

His eyes burned with unshed tears. Perfect. Just perfect.

What would his mother think if she saw him? If she knew her son was nothing more than a rich man’s whore? What would Hop or Sonia think if they saw the bruises? 

It wasn’t the first time Rose would be leaving marks on him, although he was usually much more careful about where they were. But Leon was getting a tattoo tomorrow and had very little in his schedule after that. Rose was free to bruise him however he wanted.

Leon looked away from the mirror. He slipped his sleep shirt over his head and left the bathroom, turning the light off on his way out. He crawled into bed. Rose was still somewhere else in the penthouse, either watching his dramas or reading. He’d join Leon eventually, but if he was lucky, he’d fall asleep before that. 

Leon curled up on his side, burying his face in his pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to think about anything other than needles and roses.

* * *

It took two sessions for Leon’s tattoo to be completed. Sonia was right about him, he very nearly fainted the moment those needles started inking his skin. But upon returning to have the black lines on his body filled with color, Leon thought the pain was more manageable. He just couldn’t look while the artist- Leon didn’t remember their name- worked on him. 

Leon followed the artist’s and Sonia’s advice for keeping his new tattoo clean. But he did everything they said while staring at his tattoo with unfocused eyes. He could see the black outlines on his skin, along with the vibrant hues of red and white. Still, Leon refused to actually acknowledge them.

Good thing he already hated looking at himself. Styling his hair and makeup without focusing on his reflection made it easier to look after his tattoo.

“Oh, Leon. It looks amazing.” Rose said.

They were alone again, in Leon’s bedroom. His tattoo was safe to touch now. And this was the first time Rose was seeing it, trusting the artist to do a good job and Leon to care for it.

A bright light snapped Leon out of his stupor. Rose stared down at his phone with a satisfied smile. 

“I wonder how your friends will react.”

Leon already sent Sonia pictures. He was planning on telling Mum and Hop eventually, but when he himself was more comfortable with it. And Raihan?

Leon wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to tell him.

Rose ran his fingertips over Leon’s hip, where the tattoo ended. 

“Do you like it?”  
  
This was the first time Rose ever asked for Leon’s opinion on his own tattoo.

“Yes, Sir.”  
  
Rose chuckled. “Are you just saying that? Be honest.”  
  
Leon wanted to laugh. And also cry. This wasn’t like a new shirt or jacket that could be returned. This was going to be a part of him for the rest of his life.

“I like it, Sir.”

Rose’s smile turned into a knowing smirk. “Then why do you refuse to look at it?”

Leon blinked. “What?”

“Look at it, Leon. Tell me what you really think.”

Leon would have given anything to not actually acknowledge the ink embedded in his skin now. But under Rose’s gaze, he found himself looking down at his leg. 

The first thing Leon noticed was the level of detail in the flowers. The roses looked so much like real flowers, blossoming beautifully. Whoever that tattoo artist was, they were good at their job. The next thing Leon noticed were the colors. There were five roses in total cascading down his body, two white and three red. The white roses looked vibrant against his skin, but the red made the contrast even sharper.

In a way, Leon was surprised by how little he was reacting to it. But he had practice, given all the other ways Rose had altered him. He just accepted it, as he had accepted everything else in his life. 

But it was clear now that Rose owned him. In mind, and now in body.

“I… I like it.” Leon said.

“Oh, I’m glad you think so.” Rose said.

He pulled Leon down for a kiss. 

“Let me know if you want another. I actually quite like how you look with tattoos.”

The words came to Leon automatically. 

“Yes, Sir.”

* * *

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be honest, does it feel overwhelming for me to update so quickly? Because I had no plans when I started writing this story and I honestly want to finish it before I risk losing interest.
> 
> Also, thoughts? I've been completely blown away by all the feedback this fic has been getting. When I first started it, I barely expected for anyone to read it but I'm just so thankful for all your comments (I do read all of them I promise!).


	5. I’ll Listen To The Memories As They Cry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place at different times in Leon’s life before the start of this fic. It begins with with 10 year old Leon and Sonia + 11 year old Raihan while they partake in their Pokemon adventures. (Also Sonia was totally the Hermione of the group, don’t @ me.)
> 
> Title from Fireworks, Mitski

“Leon! Leon, did you see me? I won, even with a type disadvantage!” Raihan sad.

He picked up Leon and spun them both around, laughing and shouting while he did so. Leon and Sonia had already gotten their Fairy badges from Opal, but they stayed in Ballonlea while Raihan tried to get his own. 

Leon hugged him back, saying, “I saw! You did amazing!”   
  
Raihan managed to win when his Vibrava landed a critical hit just before fainting itself. It was sheer luck he managed to beat that old lady’s fairy team. 

Raihan set Leon down, still lightheaded from his victory.

“I saw you too, you know.” Sonia said.

She was sitting on a boulder to the side, watching them. But she was smiling too. She hopped off, pulling Raihan into a hug.

“Congratulations, Raihan. You managed to win even while being a stubborn idiot.”   
  
“It’s not my fault dragons are the best type!”

Sonia rolled her eyes. “You nearly lost.”

“Yeah, _ nearly.” _

Leon wedged himself between them, looping his arms around their shoulders despite them both being taller than him. “Hey! No fighting, remember? Besides, there’s still one last train to Circhester we have to catch!”

Raihan and Sonia shared a look before they both shrugged Leon’s arms off. “It’s late, though. Why not stay at the inn here?” Sonia asked. 

“Because I want to challenge the next Gym first thing in the morning!”

Sonia snorted and shook her head. “You’ve both got way too much energy. I for one am actually going to go to bed.”

Raihan stuck his tongue out at her. “Your loss, come on Leon!”   
  
He grabbed Leon’s hand, guiding him down the long, winding streets of Ballonlea.

“You’re coming with me?” Leon asked. 

Raihan glanced back and smiled. “Of course I am! You’d get lost otherwise!”

Leon pouted, but there was no bite in his glare. 

The two of them eventually arrived at Ballonlea’s train station with just under ten minutes to spare. Raihan didn’t realize he was still holding Leon’s hand until he had to let go to pay for his ticket. 

He noticed Leon looking through his backpack for his money.    
  
“Don’t worry, I got it.” He said, paying for two tickets.

“Rai, you don’t have to.”

He laughed. “Already did it, now let’s get on board.”

The two of them picked out an empty car towards the very back of the train and sat across from each other. As soon as they were settled down, Leon pulled out a little booklet from his backpack. It held everything for aspiring Gym challengers, including maps of towns and locations of inns or hotels hosting challengers. 

“Let me see that.” Raihan said.

Leon handed over his booklet. Raihan flipped through the pages until he found the map of Circhester. He smiled. Their hotel was right next to the train station, not even Leon would be able to miss it. 

“Hey, Raihan?”   
  
“Hm?” He look up. Leon was playing with a stray lock of his hair (already, it was at his shoulders, but Leon declared he would never cut it). He smiled at Raihan. 

“Thanks for coming with me.”   


Raihan smiled in return, handing back Leon’s booklet. “Of course! Friends stick together, right?”   
  
Leon laughed. “I thought we were rivals.”   


“Friends can be rivals!” He said. 

Still, Raihan had nearly forgotten that, yes, the two of them were actually supposed to be rivals. They met at the League’s opening ceremony and had a battle almost immediately afterward. There was just something about Leon that made Raihan itch for a good match. It was the fire in Leon’s eyes, and his confident smile. It brought out the best in Raihan. 

But the more they travelled together, the more they explored Galar with each other, the more Raihan thought of Leon as a friend. And it was nice to not have to travel alone sometimes. 

Raihan spent most of the train ride playing on his DS, but Leon fell asleep with his head leaning against the window. Raihan checked the time. Still nearly an hour until they reached their stop. He glanced at Leon, who was only wearing a thin jacket over his t-shirt. So Raihan slipped his hoodie off his shoulders and draped it over Leon’s front. It’s what friends were for, right?

* * *

Leon woke up to the train jolting to a stop. He opened his eyes, immediately noticing the soft material covering his body. He looked down at himself, finding Raihan’s hoodie draped over him. Raihan himself was standing next to their booth, stretching his arms over his head. 

Leon smiled and handed back his hoodie. “You didn’t have to give me your jacket.”   
  
“Don’t worry about it, I wanted to.”

The two of them hopped off the train, and Leon yawned as they exited the station. He wasn’t really focusing on where he was going until a hand tugged on his sleeve. 

“The hotel is this way.”   
  
“Right.” He said. He let Raihan lead him to the building over, an old-looking brick hotel. 

“More challengers?” The receptionist asked. She smiled at them. “You two are up awfully late, aren’t you?”

“Yup! Do you have any rooms left?” Raihan asked. 

The receptionist typed away on her computer. “We do, but it’s a single with only one bed. Do you still want it?”   
  
One bed? Leon had spent nights in his sleeping bag before, usually outside, but he wouldn’t mind doing it again. 

“Yes, thank you.” He said. 

Leon ignored the startled sound Raihan made as he took the key from the receptionist. As they took the elevator up, Raihan asked, “Are you sure about this?”   
  
Leon nodded. “Yeah, you can take the bed. I’ll just sleep on the floor.”

The elevator stopped and they walked down a long hall to their room. It came with a tiny kitchen, a small TV with a table and a few chairs, and a bedroom. There was a small bathroom attached to the bathroom with a deep tub that looked awfully tempting.

“Do you need the bathroom? I think I want to take a bath.”

Raihan was laying down on top of the bed, yawning. “Nope, take your time.”   
  
The water was just on the cusp of warm, but Leon didn’t really mind. He got dressed in his pajamas and brushed his teeth. But when Leon exited the bathroom, he paused. Raihan was rolling out his own sleeping bag on the floor next to the bed. 

“What are you doing?”   
  
Raihan shrugged. “You’re more tired than I am. You should sleep in the bed.”   
  
“No, Rai, I already said it was fine!”   
  
But they were both stubborn boys, and neither was willing to take the bed. 

“Fine, then let’s just share.”   
  
Raihan opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated. “Really?”   
  
Leon nodded. It was getting really late anyways, no use in arguing about it further. So Leon slipped into the bed on one side while Raihan got changed and brushed his teeth.    
  
Raihan turned the lights off on the way to the bed and climbed in on the other side. 

“You’re so stubborn.” He said.   
  
“So are you.” Leon giggled, the lack of sleep making him feel like he was staying up late during a sleep-over. 

A few minutes passed in silence.

“Hey, Raihan.”   
  
“What?”   
  
“Feel how cold me feet are.”   


“Wh-”   
  
Raihan hissed and flailed as Leon pressed his bare feet to the backs of his calves. Raihan grabbed his pillow and hit Leon with it.   
  
“Why are your feet so cold? Put some socks on if you’re going to sleep next to me!”   
  
Leon laughed, shielding his face with one hand while the other hit Raihan with his own pillow. “Fine! Okay!”

He reached over for the dresser on his side of the bed, where he left a spare change of clothes for tomorrow. He grabbed his socks and put them on.    
  
“Is this better?” He whispered, pressing his feet to Raihan’s side. 

“Hmmm… a little bit.” Raihan said. 

After a few minutes, he rolled over onto his side. Despite the darkness, Leon could still see his bright blue eyes. 

“Leon?”   
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“I don’t think I’m going to fall asleep soon.”

Leon snickered. “Me neither.”

Raihan yawned. “But I’m going to need my sleep… if I’m going to be Champion...”

Leon let his eyes close, words blurring together a little bit. “Who says you’re the one who’ll be Champion? What if I become Champion?”   
  
Raihan laughed softly. “In your dreams, maybe.”

Leon hummed, sleep starting to cling to him.  After a few more minutes, he asked, “Rai?”

“What?”   
  
“If one of us becomes Champion, will we still be friends?”   
  
_ “What?” _   
  
Leon opened his eyes. Raihan was staring at him. “Of course we’ll still be friends, you dummy! Now go to sleep.”   
  
And Leon smiled. “Okay. Goodnight, Raihan.”   
  
“Night, Leon.”

* * *

In the end, Sonia gave up on her challenge just before the eighth gym. She said she just wasn’t enjoying it anymore, and returned home. Raihan and Leon both made it to the finals, but it was Leon who managed to reach the Championship Tournament.

And it was Leon who claimed the crown. 

He still couldn’t believe it. He and Charizard watched as fireworks went off in the night sky, the crowd roaring and chanting his name. The previous Champion, an older man, congratulated Leon with a firm handshake. 

“Now I can finally retire!” He said with a laugh. “Good job, kid. You’re the Champion now.”

It was a dream come true. Leon had  _ literally _ achieved his dreams. 

The world watched the next day as Leon ascended the stairs to the stage erected on the Wyndon stadium field, including his Mum, Sonia, and Raihan. They all cheered him from the front row of seats on the field. 

“It is with great honor that I present this young man with the Championship medal!” Rose said. 

It was the first time Leon ever saw Rose up close and in person. He was the man who ran the entire League, and he smiled as he placed the medal around Leon’s neck. 

“Congratulations, my boy.” He said more softly this time, as if only Leon was meant to hear it.

And with that, Leon broke Galar’s record for their youngest ever Champion. 

And with the medal around his neck, Leon became chained to Rose before he even knew it.

The first few years passed by exactly the way Leon expected them to. He battled talented challengers every year, but was never beaten. No one even came close once. In the process, he also became Hop’s idol. Leon was recognized wherever he went, people smiling and cheering for him. 

He still lived at home with his mum, but spent the tail-end of the League’s season in Wyndon. Rose assured his mum that it would be perfectly safe, that he would personally ensure Leon’s safety. Because even though Leon was the best trainer in the region, he was still a child. 

For the first few years, Leon got used to the way Rose would put his hand on his shoulder. Sometimes to steer him through crowds, sometimes to draw Leon in close before he could head off in the wrong direction. 

And Rose always regarded Leon with such kind eyes. With such fatherly familiarity and pride. 

Leon was fifteen when it started. He was becoming more and more busy with interviews and photoshoots and league responsibilities, and had less time to exercise on his own.    
  
“Leon, would you want a personal trainer?” Rose asked. 

“Huh?”   
  
They were in Rose’s private office. Leon thought it would be just another regular meeting.    
  
“You have quite a bit of excess energy, don’t you? A personal trainer can help work all that out.”   


So Leon agreed. Three workout sessions a week were added to his schedule, four when off-season. But Leon liked it. He liked having an outlet to exercise and burn off his energy. 

Later that year, it escalated. Rose hired a dietician for him. 

“You need one to keep healthy! You teenagers love your junk food.”   
  
And Leon found that fact a little hard to argue with. So he agreed to have the dietician and followed their plans for him. A lot of comfort foods were cut out of Leon’s diet, but he was still willing to go with it.

Raihan started teasing him about it.

“A trainer and a dietician now? You’re turning into a superstar, pretty boy.”

“I’m not! I’m-”   


Leon blinked. “Pretty boy?”   
  
Raihan laughed, but didn’t elaborate. The nickname stayed, but it never came with an air of malice. Leon liked it, if only because it was Raihan calling him that. It had a very different meaning coming from anyone else, even Sonia. 

Rose pushed Leon further when he was sixteen with eyebrow threading and a makeup stylist. Leon never really saw the point in it. But he didn’t complain, either.

At seventeen, the body waxing and wardrobe changes began. 

“You… you want me to wear a  _ cape?” _   
  
Rose nodded. Oleana was holding the cape up for Leon to inspect. It was made of a velvety material, stamped with various sponsor logos and lined with fur. 

“It’s to add to your image!”   
  
“My image?” Leon repeated.

“Yes, you’re supposed to be the king of Galar. Everyone ought to know it.”

Leon reached for his snapback. He liked it because of the crown outline on it. But a cape just seemed excessive. However, who was Leon to deny Rose and his eccentric ideas? The man ran the League, and also acted as Leon’s father at times. He still trusted Rose’s judgement. 

But people, specifically Sonia and Raihan, teased him for cape. However, a surprising number of others liked it. News outlets praised Leon for his new look and the public all came to love it with time.

The personal trainer, the dietician, the makeup and waxing and the cape were all things Leon could deal with. But the shorts were the first thing he explicitly felt uncomfortable with. He was eighteen and almost immediately encouraged to live full-time in Wyndon. Rose invited himself over one night with a black, plastic bag in hand. 

“Are you sure about this, Sir?”   
  
Those shorts were just so  _ short.  _ He was sure that if he put them on, they would just barely cover his butt. 

“Quite so, Leon. Like them or not, they’re part of your uniform now.”   
  
Leon swallowed, face growing red. “Can I at least wear something under them? Like leggings?”   
  
Rose sighed. “Oh, if you really want.”

And that was how Leon came upon his most iconic look. 

But it was fine. All of it was fine! Leon just needed some time to adjust. 

A few months later, the Incident happened and Leon got microchipped. 

Nothing about his life was fine after that.

* * *

Rose was certain that if his past self could see him, he would be repulsed. But present Rose held not even a shred of regret over how he treated Leon. There was just something addicting about controlling the boy. No one in the region could touch Leon’s skill in battle, not even Rose himself. Everyone saw Leon as the indomitable, unbeatable Champion, even from the tender age of ten. So the knowledge that Rose had complete and utter control over Leon’s body was intoxicating. 

It started when Leon was a teenager. Personal trainers and dieticians and minor cosmetic changes got him hooked on the thrill of altering Leon’s body. He made Leon wear a cape to deter others from trying to touch him, because only Rose deserved to feel that body. But he also knew he had to be patient. Leon was still a minor and under the watchful eye of both his mother and the law. So he waited until Leon finally became eighteen.

He snatched the boy up as quickly as possible and dropped him into a Wyndon penthouse. And he waited a little more. He chose to bide his time, searching for the perfect excuse to have one of his microchips implanted under Leon’s skin. Rose got off more than once to the idea of Leon never being able to hide from him again. 

And blessedly, he didn’t have to wait long. Leon had his little Incident, and the very next day, Rose watched as a doctor injected a chip in Leon’s arm.

It was what broke the dam and swept all his inhibitions away.

Leon was no longer protected by his mother and laws designed to shield minors. He was now fully under Rose’s eye and ear and touch. So he finally allowed himself to act on his desires and started fucking the boy. (Leon was utterly adorable during his first time, crying so beautifully just for Rose.) But it didn’t end there. 

He had Leon get lip fillers when he was eighteen. Just a tiny amount to plump up his lips while kissing. No one who wasn’t looking for signs of the fillers would notice them.

Leon’s nose was slightly crooked from when he broke it as a child. It was hardly noticeable, but Rose hated the idea of Leon having such an imperfection. A few weeks after his lip fillers, Rose sent Leon to get a nose job and fix up that unsightly imperfection.

Eyelid surgery was also popular in many parts of the world. It was meant to make one’s eyes look wider and more youthful. Rose quite liked how people, especially idols and models, looked with the surgery. He and Leon traveled to Kanto to have it done. Leon cried about it afterwards. Multiple times, even. But it was less cute than when he cried during sex. It seemed as if Leon was rejecting Rose’s generous present. 

Perhaps he just needed time to realize he looked even more beautiful than before. After all, Leon had no reason to act so selfishly after Rose provided such a gift for him.

And Rose thought the furthest he would go was pressing Leon to get breast implants when he was nineteen. After years of training his body, Leon maintained a rather attractive figure. He had a gorgeous face, such a delicious, slim waist, and long, lithe legs. He was also blessed with naturally soft hips and thighs. But Rose thought Leon would look even more pleasing if his chest was as attractive as the rest of his body. It took some time to find a plastic surgeon willing to be paid to keep quiet, but Rose did it. (He also levied the surgeon with a healthy dose of threats about ruining the man’s career, which Rose could easily do.)

Custom silicone implants had to be made for Leon, to ensure his chest became softer and fuller without being too obvious. And to Rose’s delight, it worked. Leon’s chest still looked perfectly natural, but he knew the truth. Leon’s body was altered specifically for his pleasure yet again.

The surgery took over a month to heal from. Leon spent most of the time wailing in his bedroom, sobbing hysterically and refusing to eat at some points. He would often press his palm to his chest with as much pressure as he dared, babbling about why Rose would do this to him. Even worse, he sometimes begged to see his mother, acting too much like a child for Rose’s tastes. At some point or another, he eventually mentioned wanting to die.

By then, Rose had had enough of Leon’s theatrics. He resorted to having his Bronzong use Hypnosis on Leon every night. Just to get some peace and quiet, but also to ensure Leon got some proper rest. Oleana also found a therapist that was willing to be paid to keep quiet (and that could also be easily coerced), and added regular meetings to Leon’s schedule. 

After a while, Leon’s chest healed and simply became another part of him. He stopped crying, and Rose trained him well. Leon still managed to smile for pictures and crowds, even after such a difficult healing period. 

Leon was twenty now, and Rose honestly thought that he was satisfied with how the boy’s body looked. Leon was a masterpiece, there was nothing Rose thought he could improve upon until he saw the news one night. Some famous actress had gotten a rather provocative tattoo on her hip, and Rose knew he wanted Leon to have something like that as well. 

He quickly became enamored with the idea of Leon’s skin being inked just for him. In fact, he spent hours on end that night just researching tattoos. He studied the different tattoo styles, the ways roses could be replicated with ink and skin, and perused the social media accounts of artists from both Galar and abroad. 

He waited a few days to see if this interest was just a fad, but no. He couldn’t shake the image of Leon with a rose tattoo from his mind. It was just too perfect. It was essentially writing his name on Leon’s body without any of the controversy that could arise from it. 

So it was decided. What Rose wanted, he would receive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	6. You’re the Sun, You’ve Never Seen the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super happy with this chapter, but it's an idea I wanted to get off my chest. So yeah, please enjoy
> 
> Title from Your Best American Girl, Mitski
> 
> **TW for eating disorders in this chapter**

Leon was not at all surprised to see that the public voted him most attractive man in the region again. This was, what? The third year in a row? Leon had been winning the title since he was legally considered an adult.

He never let it get to his head, mainly because Leon despised the slew of photoshoots that were guaranteed to follow. Magazines of all kinds were simply dying to get photos or interviews with him once again like clockwork. Leon tried his best to mentally brace himself for the suits, tight outfits, and other uncomfortable clothes he’d be forced into.

But one in particular bordered on obscene. And of course, it was the modeling studio owned by another one of Rose’s companies. Rose himself probably had some say in it.

Leon walked into the studio not at all expecting there to be a large, porcelain bathtub waiting for him. It couldn’t be a swimsuit shoot, right? It was already late autumn. 

But he didn’t get the chance to ask questions. Leon was whisked away to the dressing room and told to strip. He would have been completely naked save for the nude colored, swimsuit-style briefs he was instructed to wear. 

Leon emerged from the dressing room in a white bathrobe. People rushed around the set making last-second lighting alterations and other things Leon didn’t fully care to understand. He approached the bathtub, his curiosity getting the best out of him. He furrowed his brows. The tub was filled with a milky looking liquid, not completely opaque but not clear either. Rose petals floated on the surface. 

A milk bath?  
  
All too soon, interns and assistant fled from the scene, and Leon had to get into the tub. Years of practice kept him from blushing furiously as he disrobed in front of multiple strangers, but he hated that his tattoo was exposed. Leon slipped inside the tub as quickly as possible, the water actually quite warm. Then people were adjusting every part of him. He dipped his head under the water to wet his hair. His face was patted dry as he leaned his head back against the rim of the tub, several locks of hair strategically brought over his shoulders. Leon’s arms were braced against the tub as if he were about to get out. One of his legs (the one with the tattoo) remained submerged while his other knee just breached the surface. 

There was a camera above him, bearing down on him like a black, gaping maw. Another was directly in front of him. Someone gave him a little lip gloss and told him to smirk. He stared at the camera in front of him with a focused, confident gaze. Then he was made to close his eyes. More of his hair was brought to the front and they changed the position of Leon’s arms. They told him to lean back. More photos were taken as Leon ran his fingers through his long, floating locks. More poses, more photos.

The water had lost a lot of its warmth by the time they were finished with Leon. 

He changed as quickly as he could and left as soon as possible. 

And when he returned home, the first thing Leon did was take a shower. He stood under a stream of hot water until the whole bathroom was cloaked in steam and his skin felt raw. What was his mom going to think if she saw the photos? And his little brother? If Leon had a choice, he’d refuse every photoshoot offered to him. 

He at least made the effort to put on some comfy clothes before crawling into his bed. 

His phone buzzed. Leon opened his eyes. 

**Raihan:** Hey, where are you?

 **Leon:** At home, why?  
  
Raihan sent him another text almost immediately.

 **Raihan:** I thought we were meeting up today??

Leon frowned. A memory came trickling in at the back of his mind, of making plans with Raihan a week or so ago. 

His heart lurched in his chest. He sat up in his bed. 

**Leon:** Fuck, I am so sorry! Where are you?

He kicked his covers off, scrambling to find his wallet and keys before his phone buzzed again.

 **Raihan:** Don’t worry about it, I’m in Wyndon anyways. I can go over to your place now if you want to just have a chill day

Leon paused.  
  
**Leon:** Are you sure? I’m still so sorry, I’ll do whatever you want to do

The little ellipsis symbol indicating Raihan was in the midst of texting appeared twice before his next message. 

**Raihan:** Lol I’m already on my way. I’ll see you in a bit?  
  
**Leon:** Okay! See you soon!

As soon as he sent the text, Leon set his phone down and ran from his bedroom. What did he have in his kitchen? Raihan was always in the mood to eat. 

His fridge and pantry were fully stocked. Right, he forgot his cleaning crew also bought groceries for him earlier in the week. What about his sitting room?  
  
The blanket that Rose liked to use when reclining on the couch was still there. Leon took it and tossed it into the closet. (Did this even matter? There was nothing about the blanket that would reveal it belonged to Rose. Still, Leon chose to be safe.) But then his penthouse looked too sterile, too picture-perfect. So Leon grabbed a different blanket from the closet and threw it over the back of one of the couches. He just wanted his penthouse to look live in, like it wasn’t just Leon trapped with his thoughts most of the time. 

The doorman let Leon know when Raihan had arrived. 

Raihan smiled as the door opened for him. And seeing him in person nearly left Leon breathless. He was out of uniform, wearing jeans and a blue hoodie, but he still kept his favorite headband. 

This wasn’t Gym Leader Raihan, this was Leon’s best friend Raihan.

“Hey, Leon.” 

And Leon didn’t even realize he was moving until he was tugging Raihan into a hug. 

“Hi.” He said, voice muffled by Raihan’s hoodie. 

Arms wrapped around Leon, and a chin rested on top of his head. 

“Cuddly today, aren’t you?”

Leon pulled away, standing to the side to let Raihan in. He said, “Sorry.”

Raihan laughed. “It’s alright, I don’t mind.”

He went over to Leon’s kitchen, opening his fridge. “You mind if I take a drink?”  
  
Leon shook his head. “Take anything you want.”  
  
Raihan grinned and grabbed one of the cans of flavored sparkling water he had. (One of his few treats he dietician allowed.) Raihan leaned his hip leaned against the kitchen counter. 

“So, were you busy today?”  
  
“Huh? Oh, I had a photoshoot this morning.”  
  
Raihan raised a brow. “Another? Haven’t you had enough?”  
  
Leon glanced away. 

“Rose wants me to do them. I don’t mind, though.” He rubbed one of his arms. “I’m sorry I forgot about today.”  
  
Raihan barked out a laugh. “I said not to worry about it. Besides, it’s going to rain soon, so I’d rather spend the day indoors anyways.”  
  
Leon looked up, eyes darting toward the window. He saw the city skyline blanketed by dark grey clouds. How did he not notice?  
  
“So… what do you want to do then?”  
  
Raihan shrugged, regarding Leon with a strange look. “Are you sure you’re alright?”  
  
“I’m fine.” Leon said, words falling from his lips with ease.

Raihan frowned. “Okay… but you still look a little jumpy.”

He sipped his drink. “You in the mood for a battle?”  
  
“Huh?”

Raihan shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind a match, to be honest. I’ve been itching to get back onto the pitch.”

A battle?  
  
Leon was less concerned about the possibility of getting rained on, and more concerned with his headspace. He was at least aware enough to know that he _wasn’t_ aware of his surroundings. At least not at the level he should be at. Raihan would definitely notice if something was off during a match, especially so if Leon lost. (Off-season matches weren’t official. Leon could lose this match and not have it affect his record, but Raihan would know for sure something was off then.)

Still, he hated the idea of further inconveniencing Raihan, who came to Wyndon just for him. 

“Sure,” he heard himself saying, “let’s go.”  
  
It was going to be worth it, if it made Raihan happy. So Leon grabbed his jacket and keys and headed for the stadium with Raihan. It felt like the blink of an eye, and then Leon was standing in the stadium lobby. There were much fewer people around than there would usually be. For the most part, these were all staff members just going about their business. A small consolation. 

Flashing their IDs was a formality at this point, and the security guards and receptionists let them pass and head for the field. Leon patted the pockets holding his pokeballs. His team knew him well enough that, even if Leon himself was slacking, they’d be able to make up for it.

Raihan flashed him a smile. “You ready to lose?”  
  
Leon blinked, a little bit of the fog lifting away. He smiled back. “Are _you?”_

Raihan laughed. And just like that, they were turning away and walking to their places on the field. 

First on the field were Raihan’s Torkoal against Leon’s Charizard… which actually was not his first choice for an opening Pokemon. Still, he’d manage. But Raihan’s grin as his Torkoal set up Stealth Rocks put Leon a little on edge. 

Leon at least managed to bounce back from his fumble by knocking out the Torkoal. 

Feeling the heat on his face from Charizard’s fiery breath helped bring the world better into focus. Leon blinked, heart starting to beat a little faster. Meeting Raihan’s bright blue eyes from across the field, feeling the heat from Charizard and the falling rain, made it feel like nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them in a world of their own. 

Leon couldn’t stop smiling even as one of his Pokemon were knocked out. Raihan truly was his rival if he could pull Leon so deep into their battle like this. 

A little flash of light in his periphery caught Leon’s attention. He looked up. The lights in the VIP booth behind Raihan had come on, with a single figure inside. Leon’s smile faded a little. Even at a distance, he could tell it was Rose. He just knew it. 

But he wasn’t doing anything wrong. Leon was just having a battle. There was nothing explicitly against Rose’s rules about this. 

Still, knowing he was watching Leon set him on edge. He made one bad call when sending out his Haxorus and Raihan KO’ed it in one hit. Leon felt his stomach plunge. Even Raihan looked surprised. 

The rain on his face was no longer starting to feel refreshing. And had it always been this cold? 

Leon nearly fumbled when grabbing his next pokeball. 

He beat Raihan’s Flygon while essentially in fight or flight mode. Leon couldn’t think, at least not clearly. His commands were all made on auto-pilot, his body shouting commands faster than his mind could think. He couldn’t tell if it was him or the weather, but Leon could barely hear his own voice.

Even from across the stadium, Leon could feel Rose’s eyes on him. That tiny figure in the distance lorded over the arena, silhouetted behind Raihan. 

It felt so much like the Incident.

When it came time to Dynamax his Charizard, Leon could barely hear its roar over his own hammering heart. 

He had to scream just to hear himself. 

And in a single second, the match ended. Leon had won. 

The sandstorm in the stadium subsided, but the rain stayed. With the absence of nearly all the sound that had been present seconds before, Leon nearly collapsed to his knees. 

He felt drained, his limbs heavy even though he was shivering. 

A pair of blue eyes were suddenly in front of him. Raihan was frowning, but it wasn’t the look that came from when he lost. He looked concerned.

He unzipped his hoodie and draped it over Leon’s shoulders. His lips moved, and Leon could barely hear him when he said, “Come on, let’s go.”

He let Raihan wrap an arm over his shoulders. He let Raihan guide him out of the stadium. And he let Raihan bring him back home.

* * *

His first concern was Leon. Something was clearly wrong with him. But Raihan was also thankful he thought to grab a spare uniform from the stadium. The sandstorm, combined with the rain, resulted in a layer of mud caked to his clothes.

At least Leon seemed a little more like himself by the time they reached his apartment. 

“Could I possibly take a shower?” He asked. Leon lived in a fancy-ass penthouse, he’d hate to track mud everywhere. 

Leon nodded. “There’s a bathroom in the guest room.”

“Thanks, mate.” Raihan flashed him a grin. 

The spare bedroom was fucking huge, as was the bathroom attached to it. Raihan took a shower as fast as possible and threw on the spare uniform. 

Leon wasn’t in the sitting room or kitchen when Raihan emerged from the spare room. He was probably taking a shower himself. Raihan poked around and found a plastic bag in the kitchen to stuff his muddy clothes in. Then he sat at the dining table and pulled out his phone to pass the time.

But he still couldn’t forget that look on Leon’s face. 

Raihan could tell the moment Leon forgot he was visiting that something was off. His suspicions grew when he saw how tense Leon was. He thought maybe a battle would help Leon unwind.  
  
He felt terrible over how wrong he was. 

The rain and wind weren’t that strong, but Leon was shouting from across the field. His jaw was tense from clenching his teeth. And his eyes, usually so calm, looked like they were wet from unshed tears. 

Raihan tried to call the match off. Leon was clearly upset about something, but he didn’t seem to hear Raihan’s voice. So the battle continued. And even in his frantic state, Leon still managed to win. Raihan hated how Leon looked after he won, though. A part of him hoped that winning would at least make Leon happy, but he just looked tired. 

A door upstairs opened and closed. Raihan looked up, spotting Leon coming down the stairs. He was wearing a loose, grey sweatshirt with the League logo on it, and a pair of bright green pajama pants dotted with chibi dragon pokemon. They actually looked cute on him.

“Hey,” Raihan said. “How are you feeling?”

Leon stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stared at him. “Fine. Why?”  
  
Raihan chose not to answer that. Outside, thunder boomed across the city. 

Leon asked, “Do you want something to drink? Are you hungry?”  
  
Raihan hesitated for a second, then said, “I could eat.”

Leon nodded and headed over to the kitchen. He opened his fridge, staring at it for a moment. He glanced over his shoulder. 

“What are you hungry for? I have plenty to cook with.”  
  
_Cook?_ Raihan was thinking of ordering a pizza, or some Kantonian. He’d pay for it too, if it meant Leon didn’t have to worry about making food. 

“Uh, are you okay ordering in?”

Leon nodded after a moment. “I don’t mind.”

It was a little tough to get Leon’s opinion on anything beyond that point, however. Despite living in Wyndon for several years, he barely knew the local restaurants. (Except for the steakhouses and other fancy restaurants.) That was fine though, Raihan just googled the places that were nearby. There was a seafood place, a few pizzarias, and one Kalos-themed restaurant, among a few others. 

“I’ll eat whatever you want.” Leon kept saying. 

“It’s your place, mate. I’m fine with whatever you’re in the mood for.” Raihan shot back.

Eventually, when it became clear that they were in a sort of stalemate, Raihan gave up and picked one of the pizza places. 

“What do you like on your pizza?”  
  
“Anything, I don’t mind.”

Okay, then. Raihan just ordered a plain pizza, with two slices of tiramisu thrown on top of the order.

In the meantime, the two of them decided to start a movie. Raihan picked a comedy that Leon hadn’t seen before, but was one of his favorites. Leon tugged the thick blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over his shoulders. After a second, he offered the other half of it to Raihan. He smiled and accepted Leon’s offer.

Leon had visited Raihan plenty of times, but they’ve never really done this before. They’ve never really stayed at Leon’s, but it was nice. The curtains were drawn shut, blocking the flashes of lightning Raihan had seen earlier, and most of the lights in the penthouse were turned off. With just the two of them, it felt a lot like the sleepovers they had as kids. 

Leon was just starting to enjoy their movie when the food arrived. Raihan paid for it and set the pizza box on Leon’s kitchen counter. 

He flipped the lid open and Leon stared at it as if he’d never seen a pizza before. (Maybe he was just hungry?)

But Raihan saw the way his hands shook as he took a slice and carried it back to the couch on a porcelain plate. Raihan himself piled his plate with three slices, knowing it’d be the maximum amount he could eat in a sitting. 

Once Raihan sat back down on the couch, Leon grabbed the remote and resumed the movie. Out of the corner of his eye, Raihan watched as Leon took a bite.

He saw Leon pause for a second, and he thought that maybe something was wrong. But _no,_ Leon looked down at his pizza for a moment before stuffing as much as he could in his mouth. In a matter of minutes, he ate the entire slice and returned for seconds. This time, his plate was piled with pizza.

“Hungry?” Raihan asked. 

Leon shook his head. “I haven’t had pizza in forever. My dietician won’t let me.”

It took a second for Raihan to process what Leon just said, and its implications. 

“Really? When was the last time they let you eat what you wanted?”  
  
He shrugged. “Dunno. I don’t mind what she tells me to eat, but the last time I had pizza was…” Leon paused. “Two years, I think?”  
  
Raihan stared at him. 

“What?” Leon asked. 

Raihan continued to stare at him. “Fire your fucking dietician.”

Leon jumped in his seat. “What? Why?”  
  
“Because not being allowed to eat what you want, not even once in a while, sounds fucking awful. Is there something else they let you eat that you get to choose?”  
  
And Leon only stared at him. “I don’t mind my diet, though.”  
  
That wasn’t the fucking question.

Raihan hadn’t agreed with parts of Leon’s lifestyle for a long time. Leon was always thin, always at a weight that was on the lower-end of average for guys. But he still got a personal trainer and dietician when he was a teenager. From what Raihan had seen and heard, they weren’t even to help Leon gain weight or build muscle mass. Only to keep him skinny as fuck. Maybe it all came from the pressure of being Champion, or from being famous in general. Regardless, Leon didn’t realize it then and still hadn’t realized it now, but he didn’t fucking need any of it.

But maybe it had already begun to take its toll on him. 

Raihan got up and brought over the slices of tiramisu. “When was the last time you had any kind of dessert?”  
  
“Uh… Sonia’s birthday party, I think.”  
  
That was three months ago. Raihan handed a fork over to Leon. 

“Rai, I’m full. You can have-”

“I don’t want yours.” Raihan pressed the fork into Leon’s hand. “You shouldn’t let it go to waste, though.”

Leon glanced from the cake to Raihan. He nodded in encouragement. So Leon slowly cut into the tiramisu and took a bite. 

His eyes lit up like stars. 

It made Raihan happy for a second, but it also made his heart fucking ache. 

The coffee table eventually became littered with plates while the two of them finished their movie. After a while, Raihan felt a weight on his shoulder. Leon was sleeping, probably in a food coma. 

God, he was so fucking cute. Raihan adjusted the blanket so more was covering Leon and pulled out his phone. He’d already seen the movie anyways, and he’d rather be checking his social media accounts.

He got had a text from Sonia that he hadn’t seen before.

 **Sonia:** How’s it going?  
  
**Raihan:** Good. Watching a movie right now, Leon is completely knocked out and using me as a pillow

 **Sonia:** !!! I want to see!

Leon hated selfies, though. Raihan adjusted his camera angle so just a fraction of Leon’s face, mostly just his hair, was in frame. Raihan smiled and sent the photo to Sonia.

 **Sonia:** OMG you two look so cute 

Raihan bit his lip, debating with himself over whether or not he should bring up his concerns with Sonia. On one hand, it was about Leon’s personal life. On another, he was genuinely concerned with Leon’s health.

 **Raihan:** I think there’s something up with Leon.

Sonia took over a minute to respond, typing and pausing repeatedly. 

**Sonia:** What do you mean?  
  
**Raihan:** He’s been acting weird all day. And you should have seen him when we ordered pizza, it looked like he’d never tried it before

She responded immediately. 

**Sonia:** WAIT WHAT THE FUCK

 **Sonia:** YOU GOT LEON TO EAT PIZZA?????

 **Sonia:** I CAN BARELY CONVINCE HIM TO HAVE A MILKSHAKE AND YOU GOT HIM TO EAT ACTUAL PIZZA???

 **Sonia:** RAIHAN CALL ME RIGHT NOW. SOMEWHERE WHERE LEON CAN’T HEAR

A shock went through Raihan, dread starting to build in his gut. He glanced at Leon, who was still asleep. Raihan slowly eased himself off the couch, resting Leon’s head against the cushion. Sound probably carried pretty easily in such a big, open space, so Raihan locked himself inside the guest bedroom.  
  
It took only two rings before Sonia answered. 

“Sonia?”  
  
_“Are you alone?”_  
  
“Yeah, why? What’s going on?”  
  
He heard Sonia take a breath.

 _“Are you fucking kidding me?”_ She asked, voice much softer than her texting. _“Do you know how hard it is to get Leon to eat?”_ _  
_  
“...No?”

All the times they’d had lunch or dinner, Raihan never noticed something weird until now. Maybe Leon tended to eat less than Raihan, but everyone did. Raihan loved to eat. 

“Are you saying he has an eating disorder?”

 _“No, not exactly. At least, I don’t think so. But Leon has a thing about food, I know that much.”_  
  
Raihan leaned against the wall, rubbing his face with the palm of his hand. 

“Okay, okay… how do you know?”  
  
Sonia sighed. _“My birthday party. Leon had half a slice of cake and spent the rest of the night on a sugar high. I think he also threw up at some point, but he wouldn’t tell me.”_

A cold shock went through Raihan. 

“Wait, wait he threw up? After eating cake?”

 _“I think so, why?”_  
  
Fuck. 

Raihan threw the door open and looked over the balcony railing. Leon was still on the couch, asleep. Raihan sighed and hurried back to the guest room.

“I gave him cake. Fuck, I didn’t know.”  
  
_“Well… maybe that one time was just a weird exception. But watch after him, alright?”_

“I will.”  
  
_“And Raihan?”_  
  
“Yeah?”

_“Thanks for telling me about this. I’ve been thinking about trying to talk to Leon about this for a while.”_

Raihan frowned. “When did you first notice it?”  
  
_“Maybe… almost a year ago. But he gets touchy if you try to bring it up. I can’t talk long, but text me if anything happens, okay?”_

“Yeah, yeah. Bye, Sonia.”  
  
And then she hung up. Raihan closed his eyes and pocketed his phone.

This has been happening for a while now, and he was only just noticing it? What a good fucking friend he was.

But if Leon had some sort of allergy thing, wouldn’t he have mentioned it by now? And it wasn’t like Leon _had_ to be on a specific diet for health issues. 

So maybe it really was the stress from being the Champion.

Raihan eventually left the guest bedroom. He went down the stairs and returned to the couch. Leon was still asleep. Raihan sat back down, and after a second, urged Leon to lean against him the way he was before. Raihan draped the blanket over them and propped one of his feet on the coffee table. 

After a few minutes, a particularly loud clap of thunder startled Leon awake. He jerked upright, hands shooting out to the side. One grabbed Raihan’s arm, the other clutched the back of the couch. His eyes darted around the room for a second before he exhaled slowly and relaxed. And then he realized he was holding onto Raihan. 

“Shit, sorry!”  
  
Raihan stared at him. “No, it’s fine.”

He glanced toward the windows, where a gap in the curtains let them see the lightning flashing across the city. 

“Not good with storms?”  
  
Leon was breathing a little heavier than Raihan would like. He swallowed and said, “No, they usually don’t bother me. It’s just… I don’t…”

Raihan could hear the sound Leon’s stomach made. Leon’s eyes widened as he clapped a hand over his mouth. Raihan realized what was happening half a second too late. Leon bolted from the couch, sprinting for the bathroom. 

_“Fuck!”_ He said to himself, chasing after Leon. 

Leon couldn’t even turn the bathroom lights on. He had just enough time to raise the toilet seat before he started throwing up. 

Raihan hit the lights, but the sight he saw made him freeze. Leon’s whole body was shaking, and his coughing sounded so wet.

He forced himself closer, but Leon waved him off.  
  
“I- I’m fine-”

He clearly wasn’t fine. Raihan had no idea what to do, except kneel next to Leon and gather up his hair so it wasn’t in the way. He rubbed Leon’s back in soft, small circles until Leon was finished. He didn’t say anything, and Leon didn’t try to either. 

When it seemed like Leon was dry heaving more than anything else, Raihan said softly, “I’ll be right back, don’t move.”  
  
He got up and went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water for Leon. In the meantime, he could hear the toilet flush. Raihan returned to the bathroom, finding Leon sitting against the wall. He got up, taking the glass and started rinsing out his mouth. 

“Are you alright? You aren’t sick, are you?”

Leon splashed some cold water onto his face.

“I’m fine.” He said, not looking at Raihan, “Just ate too much, I think.”

So maybe Sonia was right about whatever eating issue Leon had, even if it wasn’t a specific disorder.

“Are you sure? Does this happen often?”  
  
Leon shook his head and reached for a towel. He took his time drying off his face. 

“It’s not a big deal, I promise. Just ate something bad, you know?”  
  
He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. And Leon’s eyes just looked so tired. His champagne-colored eyes looked more like dulled gold. 

Raihan could’ve brought up his conversation with Sonia then. And maybe he should have. But Leon was tired and clearly still nauseous, if the way he was leaning against the sink was any indication. 

So they went back to watching the movie. It was nearly over, so Raihan had to rush to fill Leon in on all the details in the midst of the climax. And Raihan could almost pretend that nothing was wrong. 

But after the movie ended, there was the question of what they were going to do now.  
  
“The storm is still bad, do you want to possibly spend the night?”  
  
And fuck, did Raihan want to say yes. Spend all night watching movies and catching up and ignoring the fact that Leon’s body couldn’t handle a few slices of pizza and cake. But he had a team of Pokemon he needed to go home to, and no clothes to sleep in while at Leon’s. “A little rain won’t hurt me, I’ll be fine getting home.”  
  
Leon’s eyes flickered with disappointment. But his voice almost sounded relieved, “Alright, then.”

Raihan and Leon cleaned up all their dishes and Raihan grabbed his bag of muddy clothes. He was almost out the door when Leon said, “Oh, wait!”  
  
He went up the stairs and disappeared inside his room, emerging a few seconds later with Raihan’s hoodie.

“Thanks for letting me borrow this,” He said, holding it out for Raihan to take. 

Raihan grinned, a little more genuine this time. “Thanks. I’ll let you know when I get home?”  
  
“Yeah, okay.” 

Raihan turned around to leave, but a part of him still wanted to stay. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Leon alone after what he saw, but Raihan didn’t want to overstay his welcome. And he could tell that on some level, Leon just wanted to be alone. 

So he returned to Hammerlocke, but Raihan spent the whole night unable to sleep.


	7. Heaven Don’t Fail Me Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello y'all I'm almost at the end of finals season but I still have a lot I need to do. I promise I'll be reading all your comments even if I don't have the time to respond to them! In the mean time pls enjoy Leon being in pain :)
> 
> Title from Champion, Barns Courtney 
> 
> **TW in this chap for mild sexual abuse/content**

Leon was still kicking himself over throwing up in front of Raihan. He knew his limits, why didn’t he fucking stick to them?

Now Raihan was worried over him for nothing. 

Leon was fine, he just couldn’t control himself. He shouldn’t have eaten that much food, and he shouldn’t have had that much sugar. (He should have known this after Sonia’s party, but it just didn’t get through Leon’s thick skull until now.)

Maybe he caved because it was Raihan, and Leon was desperate not to disappoint his best friend. But whatever it was, he had other things to worry about. 

He had another nightmare. 

He couldn’t remember what it was about, not really, other than the fact that he was home. It should have been a comforting dream, but Leon was smothered by this unending sense of dread. Something was wrong, something was very wrong, even if the sky was sunny and clear and he dreamt of his mum smiling at him. 

Something was wrong because Hop was missing. Leon could remember running through the whole house trying to find his little brother, shouting his name but unable to find him. And Leon knew, he _knew_ that if he didn’t find Hop, something terrible would happen.

Rotom woke him up at that point, sensing his heart rate spiking.

“Don’t-” Leon said, breathless as if he had actually been running. “Don’t call Rose. I mean it this time.”  
  
It was almost three in the morning. Rotom’s bright blue eyes glowed in the dark.

 _“Leon, are you sure?”_ _  
_  
He nodded, reaching for the water bottle on the nightstand. He chugged half of it before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I’m sure. Don’t tell him. This was just a bad dream.”

Rotom was quiet for a moment. _“Alright, if that’s what you want.”_ _  
_  
“Thank you, Rotom.”

 _“Do you want me to start your playlist?”_  
  
“Yes, please.”  
  
As soft, gentle music started flowing through the air, Leon fell back onto his bed and closed his eyes. This could just be one random nightmare, or it could have been caused by the fear of what would happen when Hop got older. 

He’d see some of the signs, maybe. Mum wouldn’t be able to keep Hop from seeing the (obscene, borderline pornorgraphic) photoshoots Leon did forever. He’d eventually see that Leon was just a pet for the richest man in the country. It was honestly one more reason to start Hop on his journey as early as possible. At least then, he could keep a few more fond memories of his older brother as a good person. 

Maybe Leon himself wasn’t ready for the idea of Hop starting his own adventure. Maybe he never wanted Hop to grow up. But this wasn’t about what he wanted, this was about keeping his little brother safe. 

It felt like a ticking clock had started the moment Hop turned nine. Seconds, minutes, days, weeks were passing by, all counting down to when he would inevitably try to have Leon endorse him. 

He eventually drifted back off to a restless sleep, but at least he didn’t dream this time.

* * *

Leon thought it was odd that Rose didn’t try to summon him as soon as possible. But two days after Raihan visited, he knew he couldn’t try waiting any longer. Rose was not a patient man, and he often expected Leon’s frequent visits to his office. 

His dread kept him on edge from the moment he stepped onto the elevator in Rose Tower.

And there was Rose, sitting at his desk with a scowl on his face as he typed away on his computer. Leon already wanted to disappear.

“...Sir?”  
  
Rose stopped, finally looking up and spotting him. The harshness in his eyes abated a little.

“Ah, Leon. I should have expected you’d come eventually. Come here a moment.”  
  
Leon moved, but his instincts were fighting to resist. 

“Is there something wrong?” He asked. 

Did _he_ do something wrong? 

Leon was still scared that Rose would try to bring up Raihan. They just had one battle. And Leon threw up all the food he ate that night, he didn't keep any of it.

Rose hummed as he stood up. “Pushback from the government is beyond frustrating.”  
  
He walked over to his floor to ceiling windows, running a hand over his face. “I spent nearly ten years making Macro Cosmos the sole energy provider in the region, and _now_ they’re trying to tell me what to do?”  
  
Leon blinked, confused.

Rose was clearly frustrated, but at least he wasn’t mad at Leon.

“What’s wrong, Sir?”  
  
Rose didn’t answer for a moment. He continued to stare down at the sprawling city below them. 

“Our current means of energy production relies on a finite amount of resources. But you know this, yes?”  
  
“Yes, Sir.”  
  
“Good. Well, what I want is to find a way to create _lasting_ energy. Kingdoms rise and fall, entire regions become lost over time… but Galar?”  
  
Rose chuckled to himself. “I want to make Galar last for another thousand years, but these bureaucratic idiots refuse to understand my reasoning.”  
  
Leon frowned. Perhaps he should just leave the Chairman to his thoughts.  
  
But then Rose glanced back at him. He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Come look, Leon. Tell me what you see.”  
  
So Leon did. He went up to the window and looked down. But there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“I… I’m not sure I understand, Sir.”  
  
“There are no wrong answers, Leon. Just tell me what you see.”  
  
The hair on the back of his neck raised, Leon not trusting that at all. But he looked down and saw people moving about. He saw flying taxis and colorful storefronts and people with their Pokemon. 

“I just see Wyndon, Sir. Just people going about their day.”  
  
 _“Exactly.”_

Rose continued, “These are our people. Our country. I’m trying to make it last forever, but there are idiots who are too shortsighted to understand this.”  
  
Leon still had no idea where this was going. He knew that Rose was responsible for the energy supply in Galar. And he knew that Rose had invested billions in technological advancements in transportation and energy. But he had never heard Rose talk about it like this before.

“Do you love your people, Leon?”  
  
“Yes, of course.”

What a strange question.  
  
“Do you also want to make people happy?”  
  
That was part of the job of being Champion. “Yes, Sir…”

“Well, Leon. Tell me something.”  
  
Rose took Leon’s chin in his hand, forcing him to stare into Rose’s eyes. “What I am about to tell you is highly confidential information, both within my company and within the government. Do you understand that you cannot tell a single soul what I am about to say to you?”  
  
And Leon almost laughed in Rose’s face. He had been keeping secrets from the public, his family, and his friends for years. 

“Yes, Sir.” He said instead.

“Good.”

Rose let go of Leon’s face.  
  
“Then I trust you to keep this secret. The truth is, Leon. I’ve finally found the secret to Dynamaxing. And it holds even more potential than I could have ever realized.”

Leon’s eyes widened. “What? What is it?”  
  
Rose’s gaze drifted back toward the window.  
  
“All this time, my company had been relying on Wishing Stars to provide power. But we had no idea where they came from, or what they truly were. Now, we know the truth.”

Rose laughed. “Can you believe, Leon, that every Wishing Piece ever found has only been a tiny, shattered fragment of a singular Pokemon? Isn’t that amazing?”

Rose waited for his reaction, but Leon had no idea what to say. The ore that powered Galar, the ore in his Dynamax Band, came from a living being?

“That’s incredible.”  
  
“It is, Leon. Oh, you have no idea.”

Leon was also beginning to suspect why Rose wanted to tell him this. He was the Champion, after all. He was supposed to be the best trainer in the region.

“Do you need me to find this Pokemon?” He asked.

“No, not quite,” Rose said, “My research team already has a good idea of where it may be hibernating. We’ve received government approval to dig in the area.”

Okay, Leon was lost again. 

“Then what do you need me for, Sir?”  
  
“For containment, potentially. This is an absolutely ancient being, Leon. The stuff legends are made of. It may be weak from hibernating, or it could rampage as soon as we find it. In the event of the latter option, I will have to send you to capture it.”

Ah, so that was it. 

Rose continued, “The government gave me permission to dig in a few areas across the region, but if this being exists, they’re refusing to give me the rights to the Pokemon, even if you do catch it. Some officials I’ve spoken to insist that Professor Magnolia is better suited to studying it.”

Professor Magnolia?  
  
Something about the story of a long lost Pokemon stirred something at the back of Leon’s mind. Like an old fairy-tale he heard as a kid. 

Rose returned to his desk and said, “You’re dismissed, Leon.”  
  
“Thank you, Sir.”

Leon was nearly to the elevator when a thought occurred to him. He was just so used to accepting whatever Rose wanted, but this? This was different.

“Sir?”  
  
“Yes, Leon?”  
  
He swallowed, forcing the words out of his mouth, “What are you planning on doing with this Pokemon, when you find it?”  
  
There was no way that Rose would surrender rights to this Pokemon to someone else. This was just a minor roadblock in his plan. (Too many people in the government were indebted to Rose to refuse him.)

Rose didn’t look up from his computer screen. “That’s none of your concern. Now go.”

Leon flinched, retreating to the elevator and leaving as fast as possible. But as he descended to the ground floor, he couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach.

* * *

The days went by with Leon growing increasingly confused. At the same time, the world was opening up to him in ways it never had before. 

Rose was spending fewer nights with him, but still keeping up his persona as the charismatic Chairman of the League. He was checking on Leon less frequently, too.

Whatever this obsession with this mythical Pokemon was, Leon almost wished it wouldn’t end. For the first time in far too long, Leon started to feel the vice grip around his whole body begin to loosen just a little bit. 

He was even able to make plans to see Raihan again, despite it being so soon since their last outing. Rose didn’t have any objections to Leon asking him if he could see a movie over the weekend. 

Rose remained buried in his computer and his notes, dismissing Leon with a wave of his hand.

So here Leon was, about to actually see a movie with Raihan. 

It was some action-thriller that Raihan had heard of, but the type of movie couldn’t have mattered less to Leon. All he cared about was being able to do things with his friends.

“Popcorn?” Raihan whispered. He tilted the bag toward Leon. 

“No, thanks.”  
  
“Have some.”  
  
 _“Rai,”_ Leon said. The movie was about to start. 

But Leon dared to have a few handfuls here and there throughout the movie, even if it was Raihan who finished the bag.

The next week, Sonia wanted to know if Leon could have dinner some time. 

Rose was busy dealing with the government, and Leon reasoned that it would be best to not bother him. So he went to dinner with Sonia. She convinced him to have a few drinks. Not enough to get drunk, not even close, but it was the most Leon was allowed to drink in a long time. 

There was still a night now and then where Rose would come unannounced to Leon’s penthouse, work out his frustration by fucking him, and leave. Sometimes he’d spend the night, but preferred to return to his own home to continue working. But most importantly, he never questioned why Leon started spending so much time with his friends. 

However… maybe Rose’s less frequent visits were increasing in aggression. Maybe he refused to listen to Leon’s requests to slow down. Maybe he was bruising Leon more often with rough holds or the occasional bindings. Maybe he tugged on Leon’s hair hard enough to make his eyes water and scalp sting. Maybe his fixation on Leon’s tattoo was growing, with Leon not being allowed to wear anything other than short shorts when Rose visited.

At least he wasn’t choking Leon, and Rose was still letting him have more free time. All Leon had to do was moan for Rose and look pretty a few nights a week, and he was left mostly to his own devices for the rest of the time.

Maybe he got a little too careless too quickly, high off the idea of having time to himself.

“The fuck is that?” Raihan asked him one day.

They were walking down the streets of Hammerlocke together. Leon was sipping a skinny, non-fat latte. 

“What?”  
  
Raihan took hold of his wrist, mindful of his coffee. And Leon realized what Raihan was looking at. His jacket sleeve had slipped down a little too far to reveal the bruises on his wrist. They weren’t large or particularly discolored, but they weren’t faint either.

“Oh, that happened when I was working out the other day.” He said, tugging his wrist out of Raihan’s grasp.

“All the way around your wrist?”  
  
Raihan stopped walking. So did Leon.

He quickly tugged his jacket sleeve up and switched his coffee to his other hand. “It happened while I was racking dumbbells. I wasn’t looking and my trainer set one down on my wrist. Honestly, it could have been a lot worse.”

Raihan stared at Leon, that familiar, safe gleam not returning to his eyes.

“You sure about that?”  
  
Leon fought the urge to take a step back. But they were in public, couldn’t this wait?  
  
“Rai, it was an accident.”  
  
Raihan didn’t immediately respond. He reached for Leon’s other hand and tried to pull the sleeve down. 

“Hey! I’m holding hot coffee!” Leon said, pulling away from Raihan. 

In truth, he just didn’t want Raihan to see the matching bruises on his other wrist.

Leon started walking again, and Raihan was forced to follow. 

* * *

**Raihan:** I’m going to fucking kill Leon’s trainer

 **Sonia:** ? His personal trainer?  
  
 **Raihan:** Yeah. Thought it was the dietician, but I’m pretty sure it’s the trainer

 **Sonia:** What do you mean? How do you know?

 **Raihan:** Leon had fucking bruises on his wrist. Said it was an accident that his trainer caused but you should have seen his reaction

 **Raihan:** He didn’t want to talk about them and didn’t even want me to look at them. He wouldn’t let me see his other wrist too

 **Sonia:** Rai, r u serious? 

**Sonia:** You really think someone is hurting Leon?  
  
 **Raihan:** Look at the way he walks the next time you see him. He’s been fucking limping lately

It was barely there, but Raihan noticed it. Leon was either good at hiding it, or someone was good at not going too far. Sure, it could have been from exercising too much, but Raihan’s gut told him otherwise. Leon could take a day or two to rest from exercise, but this had been happening for too long. 

Leon was in pain he didn’t need to be experiencing, Raihan was completely certain of it.

* * *

Leon spoke with several of the most renowned and trusted breeders in the region before settling for a family-run business that had been in operation for decades. (He had the free time to call around and fully assess so many options!) 

He arranged for three rare Pokemon to be bred and ready for adoption by the time Hop was ready to start his own journey. It’d take time to procure these Pokemon, partially why Leon was calling so early, but all the better. Hop deserved a dependable starter Pokemon to have by his side when he began his adventure. Something strong enough to protect him from anything.

Honestly, the days following his close encounter with Raihan had gone so strangely smooth for him. Leon placed the deposit down for the starter Pokemon, confident in their skills. He didn’t have any interviews lined up, and the only person he had to cook for was himself. The bruises on his thighs left from last week were also healing nicely.

But Leon was an idiot for thinking it would last much longer, especially after Raihan.

(Especially with Rose’s mounting frustration.)

Leon knew that something was wrong, _very_ wrong, when he received the message from Rose.

 **Rose:** Come to my home at five o’clock tonight. No uniform. And not a moment later.

Leon stared at the message, throat dry. 

Rose came to Leon’s penthouse. That was the status quo. 

Leon replied with trembling hands.

 **Leon:** Yes Sir.

 **Rose:** Good. Now delete these messages.

 **Leon:** Yes Sir.

Leon having go to him meant that Rose was mad. 

He was so mad, that he did not have the proper tools to punish Leon at his home. 

For a moment, Leon thought he stopped breathing. The world felt like it was collapsing in on him, the walls and ceiling closing in while the floor rose up to swallow him whole. 

His phone floated from his hands. 

_“Leon? Your heart rate indicates that you are in danger of a panic attack.”_

“Am I?” Leon heard his voice ask.

Was he still shaking?  
  
And was that humming in his chest his heart? 

“Rotom?”  
  
 _“Yes, Leon?”_  
  
“Delete my messages from Rose. All of them.”  
  
Leon stood still, watching with unfocused eyes as Rotom did as he requested. 

He should have just accepted his fate, but Leon couldn’t. He knew what was in that penthouse, behind locked doors that Rose would kill to keep quiet. 

He didn’t want to go through it again. 

He would be good if it meant he never had to return to Rose’s home.


	8. Gentleness of Light Escaping (Shadows Of My Fears Invading)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was nice while it lasted. 
> 
> Title from Familiar, Steven Universe
> 
> **Tw for rape/explicit sexual content**

Time was not kind to Leon. It never has been. It never will be.

The day and all the hours in it eventually passed by. And Leon forced himself to walk out his front door before he risked being late. He was in casual clothes, just like Rose wanted. Dark hoodie, hood drawn, nondescript snapback, sunglasses and loose pants. Nothing that would give away who he was. He took a short taxi ride and somehow found himself outside of Rose’s building with ten minutes to spare. 

Leon wished he’d taken longer, though. But when he wasn’t thinking, he could find where he needed to go, unfortunately. 

Leon went inside and took the elevator up. 

Rose opened his door to him and ushered Leon inside his own penthouse. Piano music was playing from somewhere in the spacious penthouse. Leon heard the door close behind him, and the locks click one by one. 

“Leon.” Rose said. 

“Yes, Sir.”  
  
“Look at me.”  
  
So he did. Because he was good and he would do anything Rose asked for. 

Rose was still in his work suit. He seemed to be searching for something in Leon’s face.

“Come with me.” He said, leading Leon to the kitchen. Two glasses of wine were already poured out and sitting on the counter. Rose handed one to Leon. 

“Drink.” He said, and Leon drank. 

“Wait here.” Rose said, and Leon waited. 

Rose picked up a tablet from the sitting room and returned. 

“There’s something I would like you to explain to me.”

Rose handed the tablet to Leon. He took it. 

On screen was a data log, filled with various dates and locations. Leon looked closer. They were all the days when he was with his friends and the hours he was with them. The locations were the cities they went to. 

Leon’s arm burned.

Rose held out his hand, and Leon returned the tablet. 

“You’ve been busy.” Rose said.

Leon swallowed. 

“Answer me.”  
  
“...Yes, Sir. I have been.”  
  
Rose hummed, tapping at his tablet. “Did you have fun, Leon? Did you like being with your friends? Raihan and... what’s her name? Sonia? She’s Magnolia’s granddaughter, isn’t she?”  
  
Rose showed Leon the screen. There was a screenshot from Sonia’s Pokegram account. It was from the day Leon had taken her sightseeing in Wyndon. She was smiling at the camera, with Leon’s hair and black cap visible in the background. Rose swiped across the screen, showing Raihan’s account with Leon in the background once more.

“You think just because I’ve been busy I wouldn’t be watching you? You’d think I’d be so careless with my Champion?”  
  
Leon was certain his heart had stopped beating. He couldn’t hear himself breathing, either.

Rose set the tablet down. “Honestly, Leon. I wouldn’t have cared if you wanted to go out every once in a while. You’re a young man, and you have a reputation to keep up. I wouldn’t mind seeing photos of you out on the town and whatnot. But either you’ve been failing to fool your friends, or you’ve been acting with _inconceivably_ reckless abandon.”

Rose swirled his wine glass and took a sip. He glanced over at Leon, and his face remained indecipherable. He pressed a finger to the underside of Leon’s wine glass, steadying his trembling grip.

“After all your little excursions, specifically with Raihan, you really thought no one would notice the signs of our nights together?”  
  
Leon wanted to collapse in on himself. 

He knew he was doomed. Why was Rose dragging this out? Why couldn’t he just hurt Leon and be done with it?  
  
Rose continued, slow and languid as if he had all the time in the world. “Raihan approached me today. Nearly begged to speak to me in private. And you know what he asked me?”  
  
The hair on the back of Leon’s neck stood on end. His stomach plummeted. Rose took a step closer.

“He told me that he was worried about you. He thought, oh Leon, you wouldn’t believe it!” 

And Rose _laughed._ “He thought that there was someone hurting you!”  
  
Leon’s eyes widened. His blood froze. 

That was it.

That was why Leon was here. 

Because Raihan saw his bruises. Because Raihan thought he was doing the right thing. 

Rose continued to laugh. “He asked me if I suspected anything! Oh, you should have seen his face, Leon. He was so serious!”  
  
After a moment, Rose quieted and sighed. His hand fell from Leon’s wine glass. 

“He must really care about you.”  
  
Rose set his glass down. He took Leon’s glass from his hands, and Leon let him. 

“Oh, Leon.” Rose said. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a Pokeball.

Then his gaze hardened. “You fucking braindead whore. This is why I have to watch you so closely, or you let things like _this_ happen.”

It was like being stabbed with a burning hot prod. 

Leon stumbled back, nearly tripping over himself.

“Please…” He tried to say, hands raising in front of him. “I’m sorry! It won’t happen again, Sir.”  
  
Rose followed him. “You’re right, Leon. It certainly will not be happening again.”  
  
There was a flash of light, and now there was a Bronzong between them. 

Leon bit back the sob rising up in his throat. His back hit a wall.  
  
“Please… I’ll be good. I’ll be good, Sir.”  
  
“Bronzong, use Hypnosis.”

Leon made the split second decision not to run. 

He could have, but he didn’t. 

He’d be punished in even worse ways if he tried running. Rose might even be cruel enough to hurt Raihan too. So Leon stood still as the room began tilting, a familiar sort of nausea-inducing sleepiness taking hold of him. His legs soon gave out from under him and he fell to the floor.

A pair of neatly pressed grey slacks appeared in front of him just as his vision went black.

It felt like only a second later, and Leon was being backhanded across the face. He jolted, eyes wide.

But he couldn’t move. 

Couldn’t speak, either. 

And even though his eyes were open, he could only see darkness. 

But he could tell where he was. He was laying on his back, the air cold against his bare skin. His arms were restrained above his head. His legs were locked into place, forcibly opened by stirrups and thick leather straps. There was a blindfold over his eyes. And there was a gag in his mouth shaped like a cock, making it hard to create any sound at all. The space between his legs felt wet and warm.

He flinched as a hand carded through his hair.

“I wish I could punish you myself, Leon. But I’ve been awfully busy lately, and I have to return to the office for a few hours. But you’ll be good for me, yes? After all, that’s what you said.”  
  
A few _hours?_

The hand in his hair descended, fingertips running over Leon’s abdomen and making him shiver. Rose squeezed his hip, where his tattoo was, and his touch lingered there for a moment.

Then those fingers wrapped around his cock, too tight, and Leon wanted to recoil from Rose’s touch. 

“You’re lucky you’re so pretty, Leon. Otherwise, I couldn’t imagine how pathetic you’d be.”  
  
Rose began stroking Leon with deft precision. He didn’t care about what Leon felt, he only wanted results. And Leon hated how well Rose knew his body. 

The way Rose could force him to moan and the way he could get his toes to curl.

It was made so much worse by the fact that Leon couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t see Rose’s face or what he had in store for him. He couldn’t beg Rose to stop, either.

Leon’s chest heaved as he approached his orgasm.

And then Rose let go. Leon wailed, back arching off the padded surface he was on. 

That touch was back for just a moment, too quick and too light, but Leon wanted to scream. Rose had slid a cock ring onto him.

Leon heard something beep, and a machine hum to life. 

“Try to enjoy yourself while you can, Leon. I’ll be back in a few hours to attend to you properly.”

Leon squeezed his eyes shut, a string of muffled sounds leaving his throat.

_I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…_

* * *

That fucking machine was going to keep Leon occupied for a good while, at least until Rose could get back home. Although he preferred punishing Leon himself, there was work he needed to finish.

He was getting closer to finding the answer to his concerns, the mysterious Pokemon Eternatus. Rose could almost see it, the source of eternal power for Galar falling into his hands. And the unlimited power Rose would have for himself.

Controlling the power supply was one thing. Controlling the legendary Pokemon that provided that endless power was another. 

Rose paused what he was typing, glanced at the notification his phone screen. 

Leon’s heart rate was spiking quite severely. Either he was on the verge of orgasm, or about to have a panic attack. 

Rose hummed, leaving the app and going to another. The sex toys one of his smaller companies made were really quite convientent. Even the most elaborate ones now had apps with remote control over them. 

Rose set Leon’s machine to the highest possible speed and turned off his phone, setting it face down on his desk.  
  
They both had a long night ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the last one used to be 1 chapter but I broke them up for plot reasons,,, 
> 
> however I have very poor impulse control so yeah, I hope u all enjoyed it


	9. How Quickly The Glamour Fades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? A chapter entirely from Rose's POV? I don't think I've done that before. 
> 
> But honestly this has been one of my favorite chapters to write so far. I finished almost all of it last night and I really wanted to share it as soon as possible! So I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Title- Rabbit Heart, Florence and the Machine

Rose awoke to his phone buzzing. His eyes opened, and only the barest hints of sunlight were piercing the sky. He scowled and reached for his phone. It was one of the managers at the primary dig site.

“What?” He asked, “Is there a reason why I have to be called so early in the morning?”  
  
 _“W-we may have found more clues, Sir. I’m sorry, it’s just that you made me agree to call you as soon as we found something.”_

Rose sat up slowly, now intrigued. 

“Alright… what did you find then?”  
  
 _“It’s a massive cluster of Wishing Pieces. Very old fragments, as well. We may be closer to finding the source.”_   
  
“Ah.” Rose said. “Collect those Pieces and keep digging. I’ll call you back in a few hours.”   
  
_“Yes, Sir.”_

And then Rose hung up. Slowly, he smiled. These men were only instructed to find the “source” of the Wishing Stars, but only Rose knew what the source truly was. Still, having them grow closer meant that finding the culprit of the Darkest Day may soon be at hand. 

Very good news indeed. 

Rose glanced outside the window again. With the sky soon going to grow lighter, there was no point in trying to go back to sleep now. He sighed. Might as well work from home, then.

He leaned over and brushed the hair from Leon’s face. 

He hadn’t even stirred during the call. He was sleeping on his side, back to Rose. And his beautiful locks of hair were splayed over his bare shoulders. Rose couldn’t resist smiling. It was always so nice to wake up and not be alone in bed, especially after working out so much of his pent up aggression the night before.

“Leon.” He whispered.

He did not stir.

“Leon,” Rose said again. He gave his shoulder a light shake. 

Then Leon’s eyes snapped open. He startled, whole body jerking as he rolled onto his back. Rose pressed a palm to his chest.

“Darling, relax. There’s nothing you need to worry about.”  
  
Rose smiled and brushed the hair from Leon’s face. “I cleared your schedule for the day before we went to bed last night.”

Leon only stared at him, blinking slowly. The bruises and bite marks on his neck and collarbones looked so dark already, Rose couldn’t wait to see them in the light.

“It’s still early, but I have a few things I want to start taking care of. I want you to clean yourself up, and make breakfast for us. You can do that for me, yes?”  
  
Leon swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing. He was tight lipped as he quickly nodded. He was such a whore for a gentle voice and a few soft words.

Rose patted his cheek, ignoring the way Leon flinched. “Good boy. It’s still very early, though. Rest a while longer, if you’d like.”

Then Rose got out of bed, stretching his arms over his head. 

He went about his morning routine, brushing his teeth and showering. He decided, since he might as well work from home, that there’d be no need for a suit today. His rather don his comfortable sweatpants and a t-shirt for the day. 

Rose stepped out of the bathroom dressed only in his bathrobe, but paused.

“Leon, darling?”  
  
He was still sitting upright in bed, hands twisted into the sheets. He was staring at nothing until he heard Rose’s voice. Leon flinched, drawing his legs up to his chest. 

“Leon, go take a shower and clean yourself up.”

Rose started to get dressed then, but watched Leon from the corner of his eye. He slowly pushed himself out of bed, teetered for a moment, and then made his way to the bathroom. Rose didn’t leave the bedroom until he heard water start to run. 

Satisfied, he went to his office. He’d have to notify Oleana that he wouldn’t be coming to the Tower for the day. 

After a short while, he heard the water stopped running. A little while after that, the bedroom door opened. Rose heard padded footsteps walk down the stairs and past his office to the kitchen. He smiled, and returned to his work.

The sound of clinking pots and pans soon filled the air, and so did the budding scent of breakfast being made. When the sun was fully up and Rose’s stomach began to growl, he decided to head for the kitchen. 

And what a sight he was treated to.

Leon was actually quite the cook. He had a bit of a natural talent for it when he was younger, so Rose decided to nurture that potential. He hired some of the best culinary chefs and teachers in the region to teach Leon how to cook. Some of these chefs didn’t even seek out apprentices of their own, but Rose paid them handsomely. One even trained Leon for nearly a whole year when he moved into his own apartment and needed to cook for himself. 

And look at him now. Leon moved about the kitchen as if he was born to do so, tending to various plates and pots with a swift, elegant stride. Already, the dining table was laden with pancakes and sausage, toast and jam, freshly cut fruit, and a pitcher of ice water. 

Still, Leon continued to move about the kitchen, eyes glassy. It made Rose chuckle.

“Leon? Darling?”  
  
He immediately halted. 

“Are we having company this morning? You’ve made plenty for two already, but I thought it would be just us.” 

Rose chuckled again as he sat down at the dining table. Leon came over, setting down a napkin, knife, and fork for Rose and then poured him a cup of tea. While he was leaning down, Rose took hold of the back of his neck, forcing Leon to stay still. Rose pressed a light kiss to his lips. 

“Thank you, Leon.” He said while caressing Leon’s jaw.  
  
“You’re welcome, Sir.”

Leon tried returning to the kitchen.

“What? Are you not going to eat with me?”  
  
Leon turned around and stared at Rose. “I have to clean the kitchen.”   
  
Rose gestured to the seat next to him. “You can do that after. Come, eat first.”   
  
So Leon did. And it was lovely to have company while Rose ate. Such beautiful company, too. Leon’s hair was still damp and shiny, cascading down his back from the ponytail he put it in. He was wearing only his thin, mesh shorts and a form-fitting black tank top. (Rose did like to keep a few of Leon’s clothes in his house for just the occasion.) 

And he was right about Leon’s bruises. The ones on his collarbone and throat, as well as his thighs, looked gorgeous in the light.

But while Rose indulged in his feast, Leon only nibbled on plain toast and sipped his tea, even daring to eat several whole berries. 

“You must be hungrier than that,” Rose said, “you haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday.”

He cut a piece of his pancake and held his fork out to Leon. “Eat.”  
  
Leon stared at it. “I… my diet, Sir.”   
  
Rose smiled a little bit wider. Leon was so good for him. He knew his limits, even when it was Rose tempting him. 

“A bite won’t hurt. Why not taste the fruit of your labor?”  
  
Leon hesitated for another moment before leaning over to wrap his lips around Rose’s fork, accepting his offer. There was a flash of something in his eyes. Maybe recognition. But it fled as soon as it came.

“Good boy. How does it taste?”  
  
Leon swallowed. “Sweet, Sir.”

Of course, Leon hadn’t had much sugar in his diet for years now. He wasn’t allowed anything that would ruin his perfect body. When it seemed that Leon didn’t want anything else to eat, Rose let him return to the kitchen to clean up. 

Rose stood from the table, intending to bury himself in his work again. But he paused just before he left the kitchen. 

“Leon?”  
  
“Yes, Sir.”

Rose smiled at him. “You still seem tired, darling. Once you’re done cleaning up, how about you go back to bed?”  
  
Leon nodded. “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

He was so cute when he was obedient. Rose returned to his office, working until the sounds from the kitchen slowed to a stop. 

He paused, hearing Leon pad past him and back up the stairs. He waited just a bit longer before getting out of bed. Out of all his Pokemon, there was one he kept on his person at all times. 

Rose went up the stairs, careful to keep his footsteps light. He slowly pushed open the bedroom door, and sure enough, there was Leon. The poor thing, it looked like he was already asleep. Rose approached the bed. From his angle above Leon, he could see the faint beginnings of a bruise on Leon’s cheek. Likely from when he backhanded the boy last night. But that sort of bruise was quite visible, and would cause questions later. 

It was a good thing then, that Rose intended for Leon to get plenty of rest. He released his Bronzong. 

“Use Hypnosis. Make sure that Leon remains asleep.”  
  
Leon tensed for a moment before his whole body relaxed. Once it was done, Rose returned his Bronzong to its Pokeball and sat at the edge of the bed. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Leon’s forehead. 

Poor Leon, he was still in quite the headspace from the previous night. It almost made Rose feel a little bad. But for the small part of his mind that very nearly regretted his actions, the rest of him was looking forward to seeing how long he could make this last. 

Rose left Leon to rest while returned to his office and finished off several more hours worth of work. He called back the site manager, ensuring that all the Wishing Pieces were recovered and being shipped to his powerplant. Then Oleana called him about a meeting he had later in the day. He canceled, and for fun, gave her the rest of the day off.

He really was in quite the good mood.

So when he returned to the bedroom to wake up Leon, he did so by pressing light kisses to his face. 

“Leon, wake up.”

Leon stirred, eyes moving under his eyelids. It was a side-effect of frequently using Hypnosis on the boy, it was always a little hard to wake him. 

He patted Leon’s face. “Dearest, it’s time for lunch.”

Leon did not jerk awake this time. He opened his eyes slowly, his half-lidded gaze glassy and unfocused. Rose pushed his bangs to the side and pressed a kiss to Leon’s forehead. 

“Darling, I’d like you to make us some lunch. Something light after such a large breakfast.”  
  
“Yes, Sir.” 

The words tumbled from Leon’s lips before even a semblance of cognition returned to his eyes. 

Rose leaned back, allowing Leon to sit up. He swayed for just a moment before getting out of bed and walking to the kitchen.

With the sounds of pots and pans, and the scent of spices in the air, time seemed to pass by much faster than usual. Rose had just finished signing off on a few things for his company when there was a knock on his office door. 

“Come in.”  
  
Leon opened the door. “Lunch is ready, Sir.”

Rose glanced toward his computer screen. “Hm. Bring it to me. There’s still more I want to do here.”  
  
“Yes, Sir.”   
  
Leon turned around, giving Rose a perfect view of the blisters on the backs of his ankles from the cuffs, as well as the bruises on the back of his neck. He returned a few moments later, carrying a metal tray. He set it down on the corner of Rose’s desk. 

There was tea and a freshly pressed panini. It was the perfect sort of light lunch Rose was in the mood for.

“Thank you, darling.”  
  
“Yes, Sir.”   
  
Rose noticed that Leon’s eyes were still partially lidded.

“Have you eaten yet?”  
  
“No, Sir.”   
  
“Then have something yourself before returning to bed. You look like you need your sleep.”   
  
“Yes, Sir.”   
  
Leon left once more, closing the door behind him.

Rose ate while he worked, eyes not leaving his screen until the sounds coming from the kitchen silenced. He could tell that Leon had finished cleaning up the kitchen, probably only having a bite of leftovers here and there. There was too little time for him to eat a proper meal before Rose heard Leon returning to the bedroom.

He made certain that Leon got his rest again.

But when it came time for dinner, Rose had a harder time waking Leon up.

He spoke his name, patted his face, pressed kisses to his skin. Rose even slapped him across the face. After nearly a full minute of trying to wake Leon up, his eyes fluttered open. Rose caressed the red mark on Leon’s face from where he’d hit him.

“Oh dearest. You must really be tired if you’re sleeping so heavily.”

He pressed a kiss to Leon’s jaw. 

“Maybe some dinner will make you feel better. How about you go and make us something?”

“...Yes, Sir.”  
  
Rose had to help Leon sit up and get out of bed. Perhaps all the times Rose ensured his sleep were taking a toll on him. Best to keep mind of that. 

Rose decided to take a break from work and watch one of his dramas while Leon cooked. It was also easier to keep an eye on the boy this way. Leon moved about the kitchen in a slower manner than before. His movements were more lethargic, although Rose couldn’t tell if it was because he slept for so long, or if he had too little to eat. In all honesty, it was likely a combination of both factors.

Rose saw how Leon bumped his hip against the corner of the counter, hissing softly before returning to his cooking. The poor thing. Rose sent a quick email to Oleana to clear up Leon’s schedule for the next day as well. 

… And since Leon was going to be resting all day tomorrow, Rose might as well continue to watch after him. To ensure his safety. 

Eventually, dinner was ready. Leon set down a plate of garlic and rosemary steak, accompanied by a side of cooked vegetables, for Rose. His own plate held a smaller cut of less seasoned meat and more vegetables. Leon poured two glasses of wine for them.

Really, it was a lovely meal.

But something strange started to happen as they ate. Leon took one bite of his steak, and paused. He blinked, and a tear started to fall from his eye. 

“Leon?”  
  
Leon’s shoulders tensed. He looked up from his plate. 

Rose reached over and brushed the tear away with his thumb. “What’s wrong, darling?”  
  
Leon shook his head. “ ‘M fine, Sir.”

But his eyes were still red and wet. Rose frowned. This was the most lucid Leon had been all day.

“Leon, tell me what’s wrong.”  
  
Leon swallowed. “I…I’m hungry.”

“Then eat. You have my permission.”  
  
So Leon ate the rest of his steak and every last vegetable, not leaving a trace of his dinner on his plate.

After dinner, Rose ran a warm bath for Leon to help calm him down. He helped Leon strip and get into the tub. And after his bath, Leon returned to bed. He curled up on his side, chest shaking. 

It was a little too pitiful for Rose’s taste, however. Against his better judgement, he decided to use his Bronzong again. But Leon seemed so much more peaceful when he was asleep. Surely this was better for Leon than letting him quiver like a child.

Several hours later, Rose readied himself for bed as well. He slipped under the covers, pulling Leon closer to his body. And Leon moved like putty in his hands, rolling over in his sleep to come closer. It was like he was a well trained doll. 

Rose couldn’t resist kissing Leon again, one hand drifting lower to squeeze his tattooed thigh.

“Goodnight, darling.”

The following day was similar to the previous, with Leon even more docile than usual. 

It lasted for another two days. 

Four days in total of Rose waking up to seeing Leon’s body first thing in the morning. Four days of Leon obeying Rose’s every command with hardly a second thought. Four days of being pampered and cooked for, and four whole days of being able to make love to Leon whenever he wanted.

And in that time, something began to dawn on Rose.

He enjoyed having someone in the house with him. Certainly, he had maids and cooks to provide and clean for him. But Leon?

He was perfect. He was a maid and a cook and a pretty toy all in one. He was beautiful and talented and with a body that belonged to Rose and Rose alone. He wished their time together would never end. 

Then Raihan called Rose out of nowhere. 

He kept his voice calm and even, but only because he had years of practice.

“Hello? Raihan? Is something the matter?”  
  
 _“It’s Leon. Have you heard from him recently?”_   
  
“Oh? No, I haven’t. Why do you ask?”   
  
He heard Raihan take a shaky breath. _“He hasn’t been answering his phone for a few days now and I’m worried about him. I’m thinking of trying to visit him and see if there’s anything wrong.”_ _  
_   
Rose hummed. “Well, I still have a difficult time believing that Leon is being abused. But if you’re truly worried, then be careful. You wouldn’t want to accidentally make things worse for him.”   
  
_“I will, Rose. Thank you.”_

Then Raihan hung up.

Rose set his phone down and sighed.

That idiot. If he didn’t have such a large fan following, Rose would have found some excuse to remove him from the League by now. Raihan and Leon had always been a smidge too close for Rose’s taste.

Still, he knew that he could no longer keep Leon here. Best to get him home before whenever Raihan got there. So Rose left his office and found Leon asleep on one of the couches in the sitting room. It looked like he hadn’t moved since Rose last fucked that pretty mouth of his. 

“Leon.” He said. “Wake up.”

Leon’s eyes snapped open. He sat up slowly.

“Yes, Sir?”  
  
“Time to go home.” Rose said. “Get some clean clothes on.”

Leon stared at him.   
  
“Home?”   
  
Rose resisted the urge to snap at the boy. “Yes, to _your_ home. Now get changed.”

Leon blinked, and then nodded. He got up from the couch and headed for the bedroom. He reemerged a few minutes later in the clothes he first came to Rose’s penthouse in. 

It was dark out, and Rose was thankful for it. Less people were going to be out now, and even fewer who would possibly recognize Leon. But he personally escorted Leon home, knowing that in his condition, the boy would never make it on his own. Once they were inside Leon’s penthouse, Rose fixed him with a stern look.

“Raihan will be visiting you sometime soon. Do you understand that?”  
  
Leon stared at him. “Raihan?”

“Yes, Leon. And Raihan is going to ask why you haven’t been responding to him recently.”

Leon blinked. “I’ve been busy.”  
  
Rose smiled. He patted Leon’s cheek. “Good boy. Remember, you wouldn’t want to make your friend worry about you for no reason. You wouldn’t want to burden Raihan with your issues, would you?”   
  
Leon shook his eyes, the glassy haze from his eyes lifting just a little bit.

“No, Sir. I wouldn’t. I won’t.”

“Perfect. You’re so good to me, Leon.”

Then Rose’s smile faded away.   
  
“But after this, no more talking to Raihan. You will not be allowed to speak to or see him without my permission. Do you understand, Leon?”   
  
More of the fog started to lift away from Leon’s eyes. 

He bit his lip and nodded. 

“...Yes, Sir.”  
  
  



	10. Command Me To Be Well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Crymas and happy holidays, y'all. Pls enjoy the angst as your gift from me :)
> 
> Title from Take Me to Church, Hozier

Leon watched as the front door closed behind Rose. He waited a little while, but he didn’t come back. 

Leon blinked, and turned around. 

Oh, what a mess this place was in. He went over to the sitting room, rearranging the pillows and making the couches look neat. There was an empty glass on the coffee table, and he brought it back to the kitchen. There were a few dirty dishes left in the sink. Leon rolled up his sleeves went to work cleaning them. 

Afterward he tidied up the pantry and went to the bedroom to see if there was anything else he needed to do. The bed was unmade, so Leon fixed that as well.

Something on the nightstand caught his attention. Leon tilted his head. 

It was a Pokeball. Maybe Rose left it by mistake?  
  
He reached for it, even though he knew not to touch Rose’s things.

As soon as he did, however, it shook and snapped open. 

Up until that moment, it was as if Leon was completely submerged underwater. No sound or sensation really piercing the dense bubble around him.

A Charizard roared to life. 

And the world and all the sound in it snapped into focus. Leon inhaled sharply.

The very next second, Charizard was nearly tackling him to the floor from the force of its embrace. Leon’s legs almost gave out from under him. He wrapped his arms around Charizard’s neck and sobbed. 

His Pokemon crooned, whole chest vibrating. Charizard wrapped Leon in its wings and sniffed at his clothes. 

Then Charizard growled, low and deep in its chest. 

“I-I’m sorry.” Leon said. “I’m sorry…”  
  
He was sorry he was gone for so long. He was sorry he let this happen to him. 

Was Charizard worried about him? Even though he spent all this time in his Pokeball, was he worried? Could he tell that too long had passed since he last saw Leon?  
  
Then Leon’s eyes snapped open. 

“The others- where did I leave them?”  
  
He pulled himself out of Charizard’s hold, despite his Pokemon’s worried grunt. Leon nearly tore his bedroom apart looking for the rest of his Pokeballs. They weren’t with Charizard and they weren’t clipped to the belt he left in his closet. 

Leon wanted to scream. How could he have forgotten where he left his own fucking Pokemon?  
  
He ran out of the bedroom. He found them in the sitting room. He must have completely overlooked them. 

It made Leon feel even worse as he released all his Pokemon. 

“I’m-” He started to say.

But then Leon’s Dragapult and her Dreepys swarmed him, wrapping her long tail around him while her Dreepys coiled themselves in Leon’s arms. His Haxorus came next, mindful of her blades, and nuzzled against his neck. The rest of his Pokemon followed, sniffing Leon’s clothes and his hair and comforting him as he sank down on the couch and cried. 

They had noticed he had been gone. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”  
  
How could they even forgive him so easily?  
  
Leon didn’t give any of his team, not even his Charizard, a single thought while he was with Rose. They must be hungry too. 

So Leon forced himself to stand up, shaking off all his Pokemon but his Dragapult’s Dreepys, who still clung to his shoulders. 

Leon fed them as much as they wanted, but didn’t eat anything himself. He wasn’t hungry, he was just tired. 

He was so tired. 

Leon grabbed his phone to check the time. 

It was nearly midnight… of _Tuesday?_ _  
_  
This couldn’t be right. Leon left for Rose’s penthouse on Saturday. Leon knew he spent a while at Rose’s, but this couldn’t be possible. He couldn’t have been gone for nearly five days.

When… how did… how could he not even _remember_ spending so long with Rose?

Leon began frantically searching his phone. His inbox was a mess, there were seven unanswered texts from Hop, three from Mum, six from Sonia, and nineteen from Raihan. Some of them were innocuous, like Hop telling him about a boy his age that moved into Postwick. But Raihan and Sonia’s were not. Leon skimmed theirs, not having the strength to read them all one by one.

**Sunday**

**Sonia:** Rai said he was worried about you, you aren’t sick or something right?  
  
**Sonia:** Leon? Are you sick? I can come visit if you want

**Monday**  
**Sonia:** Leon???  
  
Raihan’s texts were worse, growing more worried the more recent they were.

**Saturday**

**Raihan:** Hey, are we still getting dinner tonight?

**Raihan:** ??  
  
**Raihan:** Busy? Let me know soon

**Raihan:** Leon? Are you ok???

**Sunday**

**Raihan:** Look I’m not mad but please tell me what’s going on

**Raihan:** Are you sick or something?

**Monday**

**Raihan:** Did I do something to make you mad?  
  
**Raihan:** Leon this isn’t funny please just talk to me

**Tuesday**

**Raihan :** Leon?

**Raihan:** If you don’t answer by tonight I’m coming over tomorrow to check on you

Leon’s heart lurched after he read the last text. He tried typing out a response, but Leon had no idea what to say. What could possibly convince Raihan that he was alright?

**Leon :** Hey! I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you for a while! I broke my phone a few days ago and had to get it fixed

Raihan started typing almost immediately.

**Raihan:** Why didn’t you message me sooner?  
  
**Raihan:** It’s almost midnight. Are you sure you’re okay

He took longer to send his next text.

**Raihan:** You can tell me if you aren’t. 

Leon’s hands started shaking. A pair of wings wrapped around him, Charizard urging him closer. 

**Leon:** I’m fine! I promise! I just forgot we were going to get dinner! I’m sorry I made you worry!

Raihan didn’t respond for a few minutes. Then,

**Raihan:** Glad you’re okay. 

**Raihan:** Goodnight

A cold wave of dread washed over Leon. He blinked, hating how he was starting to cry again. He set down his phone, burying his head in his hands.

Raihan was probably pissed at him now. Leon not only forgot about their plans but he made Raihan worry. He made Sonia worry, too. He only made things worse for everyone. 

* * *

Leon woke up to his usual alarm. His eyes snapped open, and for a second, he had no idea where he was. His breath caught in his throat, eyes darting around the room. 

Then Charizard lifted its head and huffed, blowing warm air in Leon’s face. 

What?

Leon sat up and looked around. His Pokemon were all starting to wake up, either disturbed by his alarm or from Leon jerking awake.  
  
...Right.

Leon’s Pokemon, especially Charizard, refused to let him out of their sight last night. So Leon had curled up in his bed with Charizard while the rest of his team fell asleep on cushions or pillows surrounding his bed. 

Leon reached for his phone, checking his schedule. God, he probably had four or five days worth of work to catch up on. But his itinerary for the day was empty. The same went for the rest of the week, including the weekend. 

Leon saw he also had two texts from Rose. 

**Rose:** Oleana cleared your schedule to give you time to heal. Do not go outside without long sleeves on. Do not let anyone see. 

**Rose:** Tell me when you read these messages, then delete them.

He replied, 

**Leon :** I understand, Sir. 

Then he deleted the conversation. 

Leon looked down at himself. He was still in the clothes he was wearing the day before, too tired last night to change out of them. But he’d have to get out of them eventually, so he climbed out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. Leon still hated looking at himself, even more so after he got his tattoo, but he needed to see what Rose did to him. He had to assess the damage for himself.

He started with his pants. Leon peeled them off, finding blisters around his ankles and bruises covering his thighs. Those would be easy enough to hide if he had to. Then came his hoodie. He stared at the bruises wrapping around his wrists. There were more on his upper arms. Some were fresher than others, but left Leon’s skin was a mottley mix of dark blue, reddish pink, and pale yellow. Some were also far more tender than others. But Leon would be fine, so long as he iced the newer ones and wore long sleeves. 

He took off his shirt next, and immediately looked away. Leon knew what to expect, but it was still too much.

Rose left so many bruises. So many bite marks on his collarbones and chest, and bruises on his ribs. He must have hit Leon more than once while he was staying over.

Leon didn’t dare look at his face. He knew there was going to be a slight discoloration to his cheekbone, leftover from Rose slapping him. 

He brushed his teeth and his hair without looking in the mirror, ignoring how every movement hurt some part of him. Leon managed to dress himself in loose sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. He tied his hair back and made his way to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Charizard and the rest of his team followed him to the kitchen. Leon prepared their breakfast first, dry and wet food for specific Pokemon, and then made himself a protein shake. He wasn’t that hungry, but he knew he should have at least something.

Leon started washing the dishes when his phone vibrated.

**Raihan:** I’m outside your building, are you home?

Leon’s stomach plummeted. 

He ran over to the window, yanking the curtains apart and wincing from all the harsh light filtering in. But even from the top floor, Leon could see the figure standing outside in a familiar dark blue hoodie. He ran back and grabbed his phone.

**Leon :** I said I was fine!!

**Raihan:** So I can’t still check in on you anyways?  
  
Leon didn’t know what to say. Raihan came all this way for him, probably because Leon was stupid enough to make him worry. And he did still forget about that one dinner. And Leon would be an awful friend if he made Raihan leave now, after coming all this way. 

But he could do this. All he had to do was pretend to be fine and make Raihan happy again.

**Leon:** I’m home, come in

The next minute and a half were some of the most nerve racking moments in Leon’s life. It wasn’t like being in a packed stadium with thousands of eyes watching him. It wasn’t like knowing Rose was coming, either. 

Leon was covered in bruises, and Raihan already suspected something was wrong. 

Leon waved off his Pokemons’ concerns. He closed his eyes and tried taking a deep breath before answering the door. 

Raihan was standing in front of him, and he wasn’t smiling.

Leon wanted to hug him so badly. His whole body ached for a touch that was gentle and warm. Instead, he stood aside to let Raihan in. 

“So,” Raihan began. And Leon felt a vise grip begin squeezing around his heart. “You’ve been busy.”  
  
Leon blinked, looking away. “Uh, yeah. I’m sorry I forgot about our dinner.”

“I didn’t mean that.” Raihan said, “I mean that I searched for you at Wyndon Stadium and at Rose Tower over the weekend, and you weren’t there. Sonia said you weren’t home, either.”

Leon’s blood froze. 

“I- I had a lot to do. Rose wanted me to make a deal with another sponsor.”  
  
“By yourself? Without your agent or PR team? And without your phone, too?”  
  
Leon resisted the urge to take a step back. “I- I had my team. It’s just that Rose wanted me to be there in person.”

From the kitchen, he could hear heavy footsteps and a massive wing suddenly wrapped over his shoulder. Charizard curled its head over his other shoulder, staring at Raihan. 

Leon’s shoulders tensed. He silently prayed that Charizard would leave, and that this talk could be over faster. But Leon wasn’t going to be allowed to freely see Raihan after this. Shouldn’t he try to savor this time while he had ti?

But Raihan was also the one that told Rose. He told Rose that he thought something was wrong with Leon. 

~~_Raihan did this to him._ ~~

No, Leon only did this to himself. Raihan only wanted to help. It was Leon who should have been more careful. He should have known better. ~~~~

“I’m sorry, for everything.” ~~~~

“Leon?”  
  
He shook off Charizard’s touch, taking a step back as Raihan took a step closer. ~~~~

“And I know I should’ve found a way to tell you I didn’t have my phone with me.”  
  
“Leon-” He took another step back. Charizard growled at Raihan, but he ignored it. The distance between Raihan and Leon grew shorter. ~~~~

“And I know I made you worry! I’m sorry, I didn’t-” ~~~~

“Leon.” Raihan said. ~~~~

Raihan took another step closer, hand raising. ~~~~

And Leon flinched, whole body recoiling. ~~~~

Charizard snarled, triggering the rest of Leon’s team to be on guard. ~~~~

But Raihan stared at Leon as if they were alone. As if six extremely well-trained Pokemon weren’t ready to tear him apart. He lowered his hand. ~~~~

“Leon?” His voice was much softer than before. He didn’t try to come closer. “Please, just tell me what’s wrong.”  
  
Leon swallowed, grasping at Charizard to keep it from lunging at Raihan. ~~~~

He clenched his jaw to keep himself from sobbing.  
  
Then his phone vibrated. Rotom lifted from the table and came over to Leon. ~~~~

_“Leon? You’re heart rate indicates that you are-”_  
  
_“Rotom.”_ Leon hissed, tears gathering in his eyes. ~~~~

He reached for his phone, but Raihan was faster. ~~~~

“Raihan! Stop,” Leon tried to say. ~~~~

But Raihan stared at the notification on Rotom’s screen. His brows furrowed, then his eyes widened. ~~~~

“This is… this is for that one heart rate app. The one with the chip, right?”  
  
He stared at Leon, disbelief in his eyes. _“You_ have one of them?” ~~~~

Leon’s jaw locked shut, words and cries building up in his chest. ~~~~

_Don’t cry._ He told himself. _Do not start crying._ ~~~~

Leon shook his head, ignoring the way his chest and lungs burned. He looked away. ~~~~

Raihan let go of Leon’s phone, letting Rotom hovering in the air. He took another step closer. ~~~~

“Leon, stop pretending that you’re alright. Please, just tell me what’s wrong!”  
  
Leon jerked backward, stumbling over Charizard’s tail. Raihan reached for him, despite Charizard snapping at him, and Leon hissed as Raihan grabbed his wrist to steady him. ~~~~

Leon felt the way Raihan went still. ~~~~

“Rai…”  
  
His sleeve had been pushed up. Raihan stared at Leon’s wrist. ~~~~

Then he grabbed Leon’s arm and pushed the sleeve farther up, revealing some of the other marks on Leon’s upper arm. ~~~~

“Raihan, stop!” Leon pulled his arm out of Raihan’s hold. He shoved his sleeve back down. ~~~~

“I’m _fine.”_ He said. ~~~~

But Raihan only gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut for a second **.** His fists clenched at his sides. Then Raihan’s eyes opened. His gaze hardened, lips peeling back in a snarl. “I’m calling the police.”

Leon’s stomach plummeted while his heart leapt into his throat.

“No!” He said. 

Leon lunged forward, grabbing Raihan’s arm and stopping him from pulling out his phone. 

“Please, please don’t-”  
  
“Then tell me who’s hurting you!” Raihan shouted, “Tell me who it is!”

Leon shook his head, jaw clenched.

“Please, Leon.” Raihan said, voice starting to shake and eyes growing wet, “I’m right here! Just _talk_ to me! Why won’t you tell me who it is?” ~~~~

Leon’s breath caught in his throat. He shook his head. ~~~~

_I can’t._ He wanted to say. But he couldn’t, because saying so would mean that there _was_ someone and there _was_ a reason why Leon couldn’t say anything. ~~~~

“There’s no one.”  
  
_“Bullshit!”_ Raihan said, voice louder than before. 

He ripped himself out of Leon’s hold, but didn’t pull out his phone.

“You think I don’t see the bruises or the way you limp? You think I believe you broke your phone and then just _disappeared_ for nearly a week?” ~~~~

Raihan's shoulders sagged. “Leon… you’re my best friend. Do you really think I wouldn’t be worried about you?” ~~~~

Leon wished he had his snapback. He wished he had something to cover his eyes with. Because he hated the tears that started flowing down his face. ~~~~

He covered his face with his hands, whole body shaking as he gasped for air. ~~~~

“There’s no one.” He said. “I’m sorry.” ~~~~

Leon hated himself. 

He hated how weak he was. He hated how he couldn’t stop crying. ~~~~

Why couldn’t he just stop?

Why couldn’t he just smile and not make anyone worry about him? Why did he have to be like this? ~~~~

Two hands touched his shoulders. Leon flinched, but didn’t move. ~~~~

“Leon?” Raihan asked, voice much softer now.

He pulled Leon into a hug, resting Leon’s head on his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry.” Leon said again. ~~~~

Raihan didn’t say anything. But he was so warm. ~~~~

So Leon clung to him and sobbed, louder than before. And in that moment, there was no tomorrow. No future world where Leon knew one more portion of his life was going to be stripped away by Rose. No future where Leon would have to continue smiling for hungry cameras. ~~~~

In that moment, it was just him and Raihan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update! This chapter now has fan art! 
> 
> [You can see it here!](https://heartstitched.tumblr.com/post/189989549552/bro-some-real-sad-hours-based-on)


	11. The Incident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another flashback-heavy chapter, but it's what a lot of you have been waiting for. Please enjoy!

Leon’s life after that night, when Raihan learned beyond doubt that someone was hurting him, did not return to normal. Instead, it was as if he lived in the calm before the storm. But this unshakable sense of dread infiltrated every moment of every day for weeks and weeks on end. It was as if he was constantly holding his breath, walking on his toes and trying not to fall too far to one side of the line dividing Rose and Raihan. 

Rose had seen the heart rate notification from that night. He asked Leon what happened. Leon said he cried in front of Raihan, because his friend grew so close to knowing the truth. He thought it’d be better to take his punishment now than to have Rose discover Leon tried to lie to him. 

But Rose only patted Leon’s cheek.

“You made a mistake, darling, but we can fix this. After all, you won’t be seeing much of Raihan any more, remember?”   
  
Leon swallowed and nodded, throat too burning hot to even muster a  _ Yes, Sir.  _

After that, Leon was only free to see his friends when Rose said so. He truly was a clever man, weaning Leon off the time he could spend with his friends slowly but surely. He controlled when Leon got to see Raihan, including which days they would meet and where they could go. Then his days with his friends were slowly cut short, with the number of times Leon had to decline outnumbering the times he was allowed to see them.

Leon even started lying to Hop, telling his little brother he was too busy to even come home for a visit. 

It took months to nearly sever Leon from his social life. Now, every time Raihan tried to ask Leon if he was free, he had to decline. 

_ I have practice that day.  _

_ I need to talk to one of my sponsors around then.  _

_ I’m not feeling too good, I don’t think I should go out tonight.  _

Raihan still undoubtedly understood that there was someone lurking in the shadows, invisible hands wrapped in an iron grip around Leon. But there was nothing Raihan could do, especially with Rose giving him more training days, interviews, and other miscellaneous tasks to keep him busy.

But at night, when he was alone, Leon ached.

He ached for someone that made him feel safe. He ached for Raihan.

And he ached for Raihan as much as he did on the night of the Incident. But he knew, just like he did back then, that he had to protect him. He had to keep Raihan away from Rose.

Leon tossed and turned in bed one night, unable to sleep. The Incident was keeping him awake after more than a year of not plaguing him with anxiety. But now that he was beginning to recall it, it was so hard to stop. 

He was eighteen when it happened. It was during the final battle of the Championship Cup, and his opponent was Raihan.

And Raihan was winning.

* * *

Leon raised an arm to shield his eyes from the sandstorm that Raihan’s Gigalith breathed to life, a smile spreading across his lips. This was the second sandstorm of the battle, and he loved the way it blew at his clothes and hair. The temperature in the stadium felt like it rose a few degrees, even at night, and it made Leon want to laugh.

Raihan was the only person who could make Leon really  _ feel _ like he was in a battle. Like it wasn’t just his Pokemon fighting, but him too. And as the winds continued to batter at him, Leon reached up, feeling the clasps that kept his cape in place, and released them. The crowd roared as his cape went flying, swept up in the winds of the sandstorm. 

Leon fixed his gaze on Raihan, happy to have that weight off his shoulders. Because by this point, he was down to three Pokemon, but Raihan had four. With sheer luck and one massively powerful hit, Raihan managed to one shot Leon’s Aegislash earlier in the battle. 

Leon raised his voice to be heard over the winds, determined to not let Raihan steal the show from him. This was as close as they’ve ever been, with no previous match making Leon struggle this hard to ensure his victory. 

But for a moment, he lost himself while looking into Raihan’s eyes. He saw the fire and ferocity and sheer determination that stared back at him. Leon, for just a moment, couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if he lost. If he was no longer Champion.

The job was fun, absolutely, and Leon was proud to have the title for as long as he already had. But he fulfilled his dream of becoming Champion nearly ten years ago. There were other things he wanted to try, like traveling abroad to challenge other regions. 

He also wasn’t going to lie to himself, Leon wanted to get away from Rose as well. Leon knew he shouldn’t have been losing his focus in the middle of a battle, especially as Raihan knocked out another one of his Pokemon. But even then, in the face of actual possible defeat, Leon envisioned a life where he was free from the Chairman. 

Because Rose was not the man Leon thought he was. Maybe he’d never been. But recently, his hands had started to travel too far up Leon’s thigh when they sat next to each other, and he seldom took no for an answer. He laughed at Leon’s discomfort and openly stared at his body when they were alone. He also liked visiting Leon late at night, making him drink until drunk and handling Leon’s body however he liked.

Leon used to see Rose as a father figure. He had no idea where or when things between them went so wrong. 

His attention snapped back to the battle as his Haxorus roared. Under Leon’s command, it knocked out Raihan’s Gigalith, then his Turtonator. The tide of the battle was changing, but Leon couldn’t let go of the fantasy in his head. If he let go of his momentum, even if just for a moment, he could lose. And not being Champion meant that he could be able to see his family more often, especially his little brother. 

But as he stood across from his rival and most persistent challenger, Leon wondered if he could actually do it. Could he willingly make himself lose?   
  
The answer was no, of course not. Raihan deserved to rightfully win. But as he knocked out Leon’s Haxorus, bringing them both down to only two Pokemon, Leon thought it was possible. Raihan was already skilled enough to be a Champion in any other region, but he stayed in Galar because Leon was in Galar. Their rivalry was etched in their bones. 

But now, all Leon had left were his Dragapult and Charizard. And he knew from battling Raihan so often that all he had were his Flygon and Duraludon. Leon smirked, heart still racing in his chest. The number of Pokemon he had left didn’t matter. He was still going to give Raihan the hardest battle of his life.

The sandstorm eventually subsided, but their battle waged on. Raihan’s voice echoed across the stadium as he roared his commands. Leon was sure that no one else in the stadium heard it, but he actually  _ laughed _ when Raihan beat his Dragapult. He had to, because no one was as close to his skill as Raihan was. 

Because no one was as determined to beat him as Raihan was. 

Because Raihan made Leon wish all their battles would never end.

Because Leon couldn’t have ever asked for a better friend, or a better rival.

Leon and Raihan’s eyes met as they Dynamaxed their Pokemon at the same time. 

That icy blue gaze, heated by the fire in Raihan’s smirk, made Leon’s heart skip a beat. 

As darkening storm clouds covered the stadium, something caught Leon’s eye. Before being obscured by Raihan’s Duraludon, he saw a light coming from the VIP booth overhead. And he was certain that there was just one person in it. 

Rose. 

Leon’s whole body froze, stomach plummeting. How could he have forgotten?

Rose was  _ always _ watching him. 

For a moment, not even the heat from his Dynamaxed Charizard could warm him. And it was not the remnants of the sandstorm that caused Leon’s throat to tighten. It was also not the massive Pokemon in the stadium that made it feel like his whole world was shrinking, sky caving in on him and ground rising up to swallow him whole. 

It was Rose. 

And under the gaze of just this one man, Leon had never felt smaller. 

The world continued to shrink until it was only Leon and Raihan, and Rose lording over them. There was a roaring in Leon’s ears that was not from the crowd. His eyes burned and his vision began to blur.

Because two things occurred to Leon in the span of a single second. 

One, the undeniable truth was that if Leon lost, then Raihan would become Champion. And it could be Raihan being stared at and touched and forced to drink and forced to eat only what Rose approved of and it would be Raihan being ~~touched~~ ~~restrained~~ ~~raped~~ ~~fucked~~ hurt at night and-

Leon blinked, a pair of bright blue eyes staring at him from across the pitch. And as the world exploded back into focus, every single color and sound so loud and impossible to ignore, Leon knew beyond any doubt that he couldn’t let Raihan win. He couldn’t risk subjecting Raihan to a fate he didn’t even know about.

The second thing he realized was that Leon cared about Raihan so much because he loved him. Actually, legitimately, romantically loved him. Because the eight years they’ve known each other and the eight years of being nearly inseparable weren’t just because they were rivals. It was because Leon loved being with Raihan. He loved Raihan’s smile and his tenacity and even the fact that he took selfies in the middle of battles. There was no one in the world like Raihan, and Leon hadn’t even realized he was in love up until that very moment.

Charizard was waiting for his command.

Leon’s heart continued to pulse with adrenaline. But now, the fun was gone. The high he was riding from imaging being free and being with his family was gone. The match was nearly over now, and Leon had only minutes to secure his victory.

He had less than a handful of minutes to win, to protect Raihan, to appease Rose, and to promise the entire region that he was still their unbeatable Champion.

He stopped caring about the cameras and the thousand of eyes on him.

Leon screamed his next command just so he could hear himself. His oncoming defeat no longer felt like a blessing in disguise. It felt like Leon had to fight for his life to regain control of the battle.

He couldn’t do this to Raihan. He couldn’t let Raihan win.

And maybe Charizard felt it. Maybe it knew that there was more at stake than just Leon’s title. It shook the entire stadium with it’s roar, breathing fire that scorched the grass and raised the temperature of the entire stadium. Using its last move while still Dynamaxed, Charizard finally, thankfully,  _ blessedly _ knock out Raihan’s last Pokemon. 

Canons fired confetti, victory music began playing.

But he didn’t care. Leon was certain his heart had stopped, because he couldn’t feel or hear it beating.

And amidst the music and the deafening roar of the crowds, Leon drew his cap over his eyes and nearly ran from the field. 

He couldn’t let Raihan see him. He couldn’t let  _ Rose _ see. 

“Get out,” He said to the attendants and workers in the locker room. “Get out!” 

He heard footsteps and a door close. Then he finally lifted his cap. He was alone. 

Leon finally let his legs give out from under him. He curled up in one of the seats, legs pressed to his chest. He bit down on the corner of his cap to keep from screaming and he finally let himself cry. His heart was still pounding in his chest, but his whole body shook in the wake of all his adrenaline suddenly abandoning him. He won, but his victory left his bones hollow and his chest empty. He had won, but Leon felt like he had just lost everything.

He had no idea how long he stayed like that. He had no idea how long he was alone, and how long he was not. 

He only registered the other person in the room when they were standing right in front of him. A hand tilted his face up.

And it was Rose was staring down at him with a mix of pity and sympathy. 

“Oh, Leon. Don’t you know you’re too old to be crying like this? But it’s alright, I’m here now.”

Rose wiped the tears from his face. 

“And I have something that will help you, Leon. After all, we wouldn’t want something like this to happen again, would we?”

Leon was still shaking as Rose forced him to stand up. 

“Now let’s get you home. No need to keep you here any longer.”

Leon, without any energy or will to fight back, let Rose urge him through back hallways and stairwells until they were outside the stadium. Then, Rose quietly called a cab to take them back to Leon’s big, empty penthouse. 

(The very next day, Leon sat still as a doctor injected a microchip into his arm.)

* * *

Raihan couldn’t sleep. He hadn’t been sleeping well for a while now, but tonight was particularly bad. And when he couldn’t sleep, Raihan’s first instinct was to fuck around on his phone until he was too tired to stay awake. So he grabbed his phone off his nightstand, squinting from the screen’s sudden brightness.

When he lowered it, he found himself staring at his wallpaper. It was still the same photo from months ago, from when Leon was visiting his family and sent Raihan a selfie. 

His eyes really did look beautiful in the sunlight.

Raihan bit his lip, shutting his eyes and turning his phone off. He exhaled slowly.

Some fucking friend he was. 

Months ago, he noticed the pattern of Leon declining more and more outings. Now, he hardly had any free time at all. Granted, the next season of the League was going to start in a few months, but Raihan had still never seen Leon as busy as this. And now, they hardly ever spoke to each other. 

But if Raihan just knew what to do, he would’ve done it by now. And if he just knew who it was, he’d beat them to a pulp in minutes. But in all this time, Leon was still silent about whoever he was with. 

And Raihan still didn’t know anything. He was fucking useless and he knew it.

Raihan opened his eyes, unable to forget that one night several years ago, when he knew something was wrong but couldn’t understand what. It felt like history repeating itself, except so much worse now.

* * *

Raihan knew he had been in love with Leon since he was twelve. But it just didn’t hit him until tonight how deeply that love ran. It probably started when they were just kids, and he fell in love with Leon as a rival. To thirteen year old Raihan, there was no one else in the world he’d rather have pushing him to become better. Leon was the only worthwhile rival in his eyes, even if the gap between them grew each year as Leon cemented his status as Champion. 

Raihan also fell in love with Leon as a friend. He was just so easy to be around. Raihan never had to be afraid of holding back when it came to Leon. Not just on the pitch, but when they played video games together and threw around friendly jabs too. And Raihan wasn’t going to pretend he was the easiest person to get along with. Even at the age of fifteen, he’d been called undisciplined, overly dramatic, and narcissistic, but Leon just  _ got _ him. By then, they had known each other for years and there was little Raihan could do that Leon wouldn’t understand. 

They just fit so perfectly together. 

But this?

Raihan’s heart started beating with a love that wasn’t quite a rivalry, and wasn’t friendship either. 

Their battle tonight was going to decide who the Champion would be. And somehow, Raihan was winning. He had four Pokemon against Leon’s three, but he knew he couldn’t get comfortable yet. Leon had pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat before, and he could do it again. 

But good god, did he look fucking gorgeous even in the midst of a sanstorm. The strong winds sent Leon’s hair and cape billowing, and nearly threatening to sweep away his snapback. Leon and him made eye contact for a moment, just a single second, but it was enough to stir up the Butterfree in his stomach. He watched from across the pitch as Leon smiled and reached for his cape. Raihan’s jaw dropped as Leon let it go flying in the wind, uncaring for where it went. 

Just like that, Leon had turned the fire in Raihan’s chest into an inferno.

And their battle raged on. 

But somewhere along the way, for some reason, the tension in the stadium shifted. Raihan doubted anyone in the stands noticed it as soon as he did. It happened just as they Dynamaxed their final Pokemon.   
  
It was in the way Leon dug his heels into the grass. It was the way he started shouting at instead of commanding his Charizard. It was in the way his eyes widened and his smile faded completely.

It could have easily been mistaken for determination, or seriousness. But Raihan knew what Leon looked like when he was determined. And he knew what Leon sounded like when he was serious. This was nothing like that. 

He saw the way Leon’s chest starved heaving. 

For a second, Raihan wondered if it was his fault. Could Leon have really been that afraid of losing his title?   
  
Raihan always hoped of one day beating Leon, but never imagined that day actually coming so soon. His heart was torn between wanting to pull his punches, horrified at how  _ scared _ Leon seemed, and wanting to hold absolutely nothing back. Leon wasn’t in his right mind, Raihan could win if he wanted to. He really could have. 

But then Leon’s Dynamaxed Charizard roared with a force Raihan hadn’t ever felt before. And just like that, he knew it was over. Leon and his Charizard had always been so in sync. 

The next moment, Raihan lost. Just like all the years before this one. But for the first time, he didn’t care. All he wanted was to reach out for Leon, to comfort him as a friend. But before the commentator even finished officially announcing the victor, Leon turned around and nearly ran to his locker room.

Raihan froze, not knowing what to do. (He should have followed Leon. He should have ignored the cameras and eyes on him and shouldn’t have let Leon out of his sight.) So he returned to his side of the stadium, ignoring news reporters and staff alike while making his way to Leon’s locker room. Only to find out that no one was allowed in.

Then a hand fell upon Raihan’s shoulder. It was Chairman Rose. 

“Good job out there, Raihan. Go home and rest, you’ve earned it.” He said while not even looking at him. Rose’s gaze was fixed on the locker room door. He left Raihan standing in the middle of the hallway and went inside. 

And Raihan waited. He waited for what he knew was too long, but was too afraid to move. Over an hour later, a staff member told him that she saw Rose and Leon leaving through one of the more discreet exits. 

“Oh.” Was all he said. 

So Raihan went home, but didn’t see Leon for a while after their match. 

Instead, he spent more time than usual online. Lots of his fans showered him in praise for such a close match, but Leon’s fans were busy speculating why he left the pitch so quickly. 

After a week of not hearing from Leon, Raihan took a train to Wyndon. He made his way to Leon’s fancy penthouse and hoped he was home. 

Leon opened the front door for him, but Raihan knew instantly that something was wrong. He’d never seen Leon so… so tired before. There were deep set bags under Leon’s eyes and his hair looked tangled and unbrushed. There were stains and wrinkles in his clothes, too.

“Hey,” Raihan said softly. “Can I come in?”

Leon stared at him for a moment, long enough to make Raihan nervous, then nodded and stepped aside. Raihan entered, vaguely thinking that it was weird for Leon’s penthouse to be so clean when he seemed so tired. 

As soon as the front door closed, Raihan turned to Leon and asked, “Are you alright?”   
  
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”   
  
Raihan stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. “I’ve never seen you leave a battle that quickly. And you haven’t been answering your phone, either. Are you sick or something?”   
  
Leon rubbed his arm and shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Raihan asked.

_ Was it something I did? _

“I’m  _ fine, _ Rai.” Leon repeated, but his words didn’t match his current state or the dulled look in his eyes.

Raihan knew something was deeply wrong, but had no idea what. He approached Leon, hating the way his ~~rival~~ ~~friend~~ crush inhaled sharply. 

“You know you can talk to me, right?” He asked. 

But Leon didn’t move or speak. He seemed so small. 

Raihan hesitated for a second, then pulled Leon into a hug. 

“I’m here for you, I promise.” 

For a second, Leon did nothing. His shoulders were stiff underneath Raihan’s touch, but he didn’t try to pull away. 

After a moment, Leon rested his head against Raihan’s shoulder and reached up to hold onto his hoodie. Raihan could feel the way Leon’s chest started to take in deep, slow, shaky breaths. It took him another few seconds to realize Leon was crying. But he was so quiet, even as Raihan felt the tremors going through his body.

He held onto Leon tighter, unsure of what he could do or say to fix this. So he just stood still and waited for however long it took until Leon chose to pull away and look up at him. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt and said, “I-I’m fine. It- I just had a panic attack, I think. But… but I’m better now.”

Raihan bit his lip, unsure of what to say. Or if he really believed Leon.

All he wanted was to see Leon smile and strike his dumb pose and promise, genuinely promise, that he was going to be okay. But none of those things happened. Raihan ended up staying the night. They watched a movie and ate cheap instant noodles for dinner, but by the end of the night, Raihan managed to get Leon to smile. 

He thought things were going to be alright after that.

Raihan even promised himself that he’d do anything to make Leon happy, because seeing him tired and empty hurt so much.

(He should have known a promise like that was going to be impossible to keep.)


	12. Interlude I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I tried but the pacing of this chap is just :////
> 
> Anyways this is just to raise the stakes bc I have something _big_ planned next chapter...

He missed Raihan. 

Day by day, moment by moment, Leon survived. Wake up, eat, exercise, train, maintain his image, and above all else, keep Rose happy. But Raihan made it so that he wasn’t just surviving, but _living._

Now, without him, the days began to blur together, and the weeks started slipping by. The weather started to warm up too soon, signalling the coming of spring. It also signalled the next season of the League starting in nearly a month, something he should have been looking forward to. But Leon felt like he barely had any time to mentally prepare himself for letting Hop actually participate this year. But he couldn’t back out of his decision now, the Pokemon that he had paid for, a Sobble, Grookey, and a Scorbunny, were almost ready to be adopted. Hop had also spoken at length about his new friend, a boy named Victor who recently moved to Postwick. Leon could give a Pokemon to them as well, to keep Hop company on his journey.

The hardest part was going to be figuring out how to ask Rose if he could go home for a day. Rose visited Leon so often now, spending more nights at Leon’s than not. It made Leon hate being in his own home, itching for some shred of privacy. But Rose, always hungry for Leon, had gotten so possessive lately. So watchful.  
  
“Leon, darling?”  
  
He snapped out of his daze. Rose was staring at him. 

“You seem tired,” Rose said, “Perhaps you should go to bed early.”  
  
The hair on the back of Leon’s neck stood on end. 

“I’m fine.” He said. 

He and Rose were in his sitting room, watching one of the shows Rose liked. Rose was sitting with one hand absentmindedly rubbing Leon’s tattooed thigh.

“If you insist.” Rose said, turning his attention back to the telly, but his hand lingered on Leon’s bare thigh.

Leon would gladly have Rose’s occasional visits again in exchange for this. Cooking was terribly difficult, but it was everything else that came with living with this man almost full time. It was dressing for him in airy shorts and tight shirts. Pleasing him in bed whenever he wished. And pleasing in public by always smiling. Because Leon wasn’t supposed to be unhappy. Rose wanted him to be obedient, grateful. So Leon still had to smile for cameras, for fans, for interviews, and for news anchors. It had been second nature for so long, but only now was it becoming harder to do.

He glanced at Rose. He was right there, _and_ he was in a good mood. 

_Ask to visit home. Ask to see Raihan._

The words were in his throat, ready to be spoken. But Leon couldn’t do it. He was too afraid of Rose saying no. (And of accidentally making him mad.)

Eventually, Leon lost his opportunity when Rose yawned and decided it was time for bed. So Leon washed his face, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair before climbing into bed. He laid still, one of Rose’s arms resting over his waist.  
  
“Goodnight, darling.”  
  
He swallowed. “Goodnight, Sir.”

Leon should have asked when he had the chance.

A few days later, he was  at his stylist’s salon for his usual waxing and threading when Rose started calling him . Leon frowned at his phone, apologizing to his stylist before she left the room so he could take the call. 

_“Leon, where are you?”_ Rose asked. 

“The salon, Sir. For my-”  
  
_“Nevermind that, Leon. I need you to come to Hammerlocke Stadium at once.”_  
  
Leon’s heart skipped a beat. His grip on his phone tightened. “Is something the matter, Sir?”  
  
_“Just get here now, Leon. Do not keep me waiting.”_  
  
“Yes, Sir.”  
  
Rose hung up, leaving Leon alone. He stood still for a moment, wondering what Rose wanted. He didn’t sound angry, but there was an edge to his voice that Leon couldn’t quite place. 

Leon gathered up his belongings and hurried from the room, giving his stylist another apology before claiming he had to leave for important League-related business. Which, given Rose’s tone, may not be a false statement. Leon exited the salon and took an air taxi to Hammerlocke. On the way, his stomach coiled and twisted in on himself. And he could tell that air was moving in and out of his lungs, but he couldn’t be sure if he was actually breathing. He rubbed his thumb into the palm of his other hand just to feel something. 

Why was Rose telling him to go to _Hammerlocke_ Stadium? What could be there that was worth sacrificing Rose’s desire to keep Leon from Raihan?

He wished he had more time to think and simultaneously less time alone with his thoughts. As soon as the taxi landed, Leon’s gaze like always, was pulled toward the towering Hammerlock powerplant and old castle that carved out the top portion of the city. Leon sighed as he stepped out of the cab, staring up at the stadium. 

Raihan was in there, but so was Rose. And Leon wished more than anything that he had a choice in which he could see. Nevertheless, he knew he should just get whatever this was over with. It’d make Rose happy as well, to not delay him any longer. So Leon forced himself to cross the drawbridge and enter the gym. But inside the lobby, he froze. 

Near the massive, locked doors that lead to the powerplant, Rose was speaking with Raihan. Rose had his back to Leon, and it was Raihan who noticed him first. He smiled, stopping Leon’s heart for a moment and stealing his breath away.

“Leon!” He called out.

It had been too long since Leon heard Raihan’s voice in person. It washed over him, warm and buttery and it made his fears fade away for just a moment.

Then Rose turned. There was no anger in his eyes, but they shined in a way that Leon knew well. It was the look he had when he knew something Leon didn’t. When he knew he held the upper hand in every sense of the term. He smiled as well. 

“Ah, just the Champion I was waiting for. I’m sorry, Raihan, but I need Leon to come down to the energy plant with me.”

“Really? Is this not about the League?”  Raihan asked. 

Rose laughed. “In a way. It’s a… somewhat personal matter.”  
  
Rose turned to Leon and gestured for him to follow. “Come, Leon. I have something I need you to see.”  
  
Leon nodded, walking past Raihan and forcing himself to not make eye contact. Rose used his private key card and passcode to open the elevator doors that lead down to the Hammerlocke power plant. 

Leon stepped inside the elevator, watching the doors close with Raihan on the other side. On the way down, he asked, “Is this about the Pokemon you’ve been searching for, Sir?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, Leon. And you will not believe what my search team recovered just this morning.”

The elevator came to a stop, doors sliding open. Rose lead Leon down a short, brightly lit hall before coming upon a massive, open space. There was a raised platform in the center of the room, and massive, glowing glass tubes filling in the rest of the room.

But the sight of the power plant’s heart paled in comparison to the… to the _creature_ inside the massive glass sphere resting on the platform. Leon took a step back from it.

Rose laughed softly. “It can’t hurt you. Come, take a closer look.”

He placed a hand on the small of Leon’s back, urging him forward.

Nothing about the thing, whatever it was, looked _right._ Up close, Leon could tell that it was curled tightly in a ball. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought it was dead, or a fossil. It looked like there was hardly any flesh on the creature at all, just a skeletal frame. The only indication at all that it was possibly alive was the faintly glowing core in it’s ribcage. It was hard to imagine that all the Wishing Stars in Galar came from this sickly looking creature.

“Leon, meet Eternatus.” Rose said, voice low and reverent. “It is the key to both unlimited power, and Dynamaxing. And with it, I will be the answer to all of Galar’s concerns.”

Leon continued to stare at it, resisting the urge to take another step back. “Is it… alive?”  
  
Rose chuckled. “Very much so, although I believe it is in a form of hibernation for now.”  
  
Leon turned to Rose, because even he was more bearable to stare at than this creature. 

“And are you still planning on waking it?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, although I will have to feed it energy from Wishing Pieces slowly, likely over the course of multiple months. The limits of Eternatus are not yet known, and I’d rather not have it die from overdose so soon.”  
  
Leon turned back to the thing in the glass sphere. He couldn’t fathom what this creature would look like awake. It already didn’t look like a normal Pokemon. Eternatus seemed utterly alien, a relic of a long gone era that refused to die. And if it really was as powerful as Rose claimed it was, supposedly holding the strength to power the whole region, then Leon almost didn’t want to see it awake. Something like this seemed better left untouched for the rest of eternity.

The hand on his waist pulled him closer. 

“And you know your place in all this, yes?” Rose asked.  
  
Leon nodded slowly, and swallowed. His throat felt so dry. “Yes, Sir. I have to capture it, once it’s revived.”

The abstract idea of catching some mysterious Pokemon didn’t bother Leon. What did was seeing Eternatus in person, and knowing deep down that this was an ancient beast. It wasn’t meant to be under the control of a man, least of all Rose.

Rose’s hand left Leon’s waist, instead moving to cup his face. Leon’s eyes fell back upon Rose.

“Scared, Leon?”

“...I’m not sure, Sir.”

It was a lie. In the face of both Rose and Eternatus, Leon had never felt smaller. 

Worst of all, he _knew_ he couldn’t do this. He knew he had to put his foot down. Not just for his own safety, but for the entire region. Leon knew he was likely the only person that could possibly stop Rose from playing god and seizing unlimited power. 

And the thought terrified him. Leon’s entire life had been in Rose’s hands for so long, did he even know how to say no anymore?  
  
But the idea of this creature living beneath Raihan’s feet was just as bad. 

Rose patted his cheek. “Not to worry, Leon. You’re the best trainer in the whole region. If anyone can tame this beast, I know it’s you.”  
  
Leon wished he felt as confident as Rose. 

He turned his back on Eternatus and followed the Chairman back to the elevator. On the way up, Rose said, “Oh, and Leon? You understand that this is completely confidential, yes? You must know that Eternatus necessitates your involvement, but there are members even in the highest level of the government who are unaware of this project.”

Leon nodded, the words not quite reaching him. “Yes, Sir.”

Rose smiled. “Good.”  
  
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Rose stepped out first, Leon following after him. 

“Leon?” 

He stopped, turning around. Raihan was leaning against the wall, but pushed himself forward to make his way to Leon.

“Since you’re here, want to get something to eat?”

Leon blinked, turning to Rose before he realized what he was doing. He shouldn’t have done it. The unspoken rule was to act normal in front of others. And Leon now felt like a small child, waiting for their parent’s permission. 

Rose’s eyes went from Leon to Raihan, then he laughed. “I’m not sure why you’re looking to me, dear. You should know your schedule better than I do.”

Leon’s face felt warm. He turned back to Raihan. 

Raihan, who was right there and waiting and willing to be with Leon. 

He smiled, even though it made his heart ache. “Sorry, I can’t. I have to be somewhere else right now.”  
  
Raihan’s own smile faded. His shoulders slumped as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Alright then… next time, maybe?”  
  
Leon nodded. “Yeah, next time.”

But he wished he could stay. He wished he could hug Raihan goodbye. But Leon did neither. He only walked out of the stadium with Rose. 

Once they were outside, Rose said under his breath, “Good boy.”

Leon had been told those words so many times before, and always with a sort of quiet acceptance. But this was the first time it made him feel angry. 

Leon didn’t _want_ to behave for Rose. He didn’t _want_ to participate in abusing an ancient Pokemon for power. He wanted to turn back around and go to Raihan and hold him and _be_ with him. 

And Leon wanted to see his family whenever he wanted to. He wanted to be able to live in his own home without fear of being punished. 

He looked down at his feet, fists clenched at his side. 

But Leon also knew, to get anything he wanted, he was going to have to confront Rose. 


	13. I Will Be Married To Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been the chapter I've been wanting to write almost since the start of this fic. I'm so excited to finally share it with u all!
> 
> Also many thanks to my friend who beta read this chapter for me! I 💖 u 
> 
> (Title from Fireworks, Mitski)

Leon had to wait for a night when he was certain Rose wouldn’t come home. But with Eternatus uncovered, Rose was becoming more and more preoccupied with its revival. Leon was almost thankful for it. 

So late one night, too late for Rose to come to his penthouse, Leon opened up his laptop and started a video call. The screen was blank for over a minute before Leon got an answer. Professor Magnolia’s face appeared on screen. She looked tired, squinting in the light of her lab with curlers in her hair. She frowned at him. 

_ “Leon? Is something the matter? What on earth are you doing calling me so late?” _   
  
At least Magnolia didn’t seem angry with him. 

Leon said, “I need your help.”   
  
Magnolia blinked and adjusted her glasses.  _ “Alright then. I imagine it must be important if you’re calling at this hour. What can I do for you?” _   
  
Leon glanced toward the door. He was currently sitting on his bed, and he was certain he had already locked the door. He looked back toward the screen. 

“What can you tell me about the origins of Dynamaxing?”

Magnolia squinted at him. _ “This really couldn’t wait until morning?” _ _   
_   
Leon clasped his hands in front of himself. “Please, Professor. This is the only time I can talk, and I really need your help right now.”

She stared at him for another moment before her gaze softened. She sighed.  _ “Alright...so you want to know about Dynamaxing, do you? You of all people should understand the potential power that can be harnessed from Wishing Stars.” _

Leon nodded. “But where do these Wishing pieces come from?”   
  
Of course, he already knew the answer. It was currently residing beneath the Hammerlocke Stadium, but Leon couldn’t tell Magnolia that.

The Professor hummed. _ “That’s not a question that’s easily answered, Leon. No one knows for certain the origins of Dynamaxing, only the approximate date in which the phenomenon began in Galar.” _

“And when was that?”

_ “It was about three thousand years ago, after the event known as the Darkest Day.” _

Leon raised a brow. He’d heard the name before, in stories passed around campfires when he was younger. Most people today didn’t even believe the Darkest Day actually happened, that it was just an ancient legend. 

“What happened?” He asked. 

Magnolia sighed, lifting her glasses for a moment to rub her eyes. Leon did feel a little bad for waking her up at such a late hour, but he had no choice. 

She said, _ “It is slightly out of my area of expertise, but it’s believed that a massive storm covered the entire region, although historians are unsure how or why. But legends and fragments of historical accounts tell stories of Pokemon growing to supernatural sizes and rampaging across the region.” _

Leon’s eyes widened. He never gave much thought to the old legends he heard about as a child. But knowing that Eternatus existed, that it was the source of Dynamaxing, sent a chill down his spine. 

Would reviving bring about another Darkest Day? Another black storm powerful enough to cover the entire region?   
  
_ “Leon, dear? Are you alright?” _   
  
Leon swallowed and nodded. “Do you know how the Darkest Day ended? Or how it was stopped?”   
  
There was something about a hero, he knew that. But he needed more.

Magnolia nodded. _ “Legends tell of a single hero armed with a sword and shield vanquishing the Pokemon rampaging across the region. And once they were all defeated, the Darkest Day ended.” _

A single hero? Just one man?   
  
Leon thought back to the skeletal creature inside Rose’s energy plant. When, or  _ if,  _ it was revived, could he defeat it as well?

Maybe it wouldn’t be a matter of if he could, but more a question of if he had to. Leon had the beginnings of a plan in the back of his mind. He just needed to be brave enough to actually execute it.

But he had already bothered Magnolia enough for one night. He said, “Thank you, Professor. I know it’s late, I’ll leave you alone now.”   
  
Magnolia stared at him, her eyes as stern as when Leon was just a little kid. 

_ “Leon?” _ She asked.

“Yes, Professor?”   
  
She rolled her eyes.  _ “Oh, please. By now I expect you to call me Magnolia. But it  _ is _ funny that you’re asking me about Dynamaxing now. I’ve studied Galar most famous phenomenon my whole life, and yet it still remains a mystery. I’m too old to do the field research I’d like to be doing, but I have a successor in mind.” _

She glanced over her shoulder before turning back to Leon. _ “I want Sonia to carry on with my research. Do you think she’ll be able to handle it?” _

Leon inhaled sharply and smiled, despite the growing dread hanging over him. “Of course she can! She’s amazing.”   
  
Magnolia smiled, fiddling with her glasses chain just like Sonia did with her hair.  _ “Thank you, Leon. You know, you ought to visit sometime. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.” _

She chuckled.  _ “I still remember the look on your face when I gave you a Charmander from Kanto.” _

Leon’s smile faded a little. “I know. I’ll try to visit home soon, though. I promise.”   
  
If all went well. But Magnolia seemed pleased. She said,  _ “Good. Now have a good night, Leon. Let me know if you need anything else.” _

“Thank you, Magnolia.”

Then Leon closed his laptop. He sat still for a moment, imagining Magnolia retired and Sonia in a lab coat of her own. He really did think she deserved it, but if Magnolia was right, then the whole region could be put in danger by Rose’s actions. Including her, Raihan, and Leon’s family. He sighed, breathing in and out to keep his heartbeat from raising too high. 

Then Leon got out of bed, pulled on his shoes and a thick coat, and went to his balcony. 

Charizard looked surprised that Leon wanted to go for a ride so late at night. It made a soft sound, nuzzling against Leon’s neck.   
  
“Hey, bud. Can you take me to Raihan?”   
  
Charizard breathed a puff of warm air against Leon’s face, stretching its wings as it did so. Leon smiled and climbed onto Charizard’s back. A taxi would have been more discreet, but Leon needed this. He needed to lose himself in the thrill of feeling the wind on his face and the heat from Charizard’s body. And it was just like when he was a kid, flying from town to town with his partner Pokemon. 

It helped Leon relax a little as they approached Hammerlocke. So many of the buildings looked the same from above, especially since it was so dark. But Leon knew the direction of Raihan’s flat from the Stadium, so he went from there. Eventually, he came across the familiar plaza that Raihan’s building overlooked. 

“Easy, Charizard. Steady…” He said softly as his Pokemon descended. 

Charizard huffed, as if indignant that Leon didn’t trust it. Charizard landed on Raihan’s balcony slow and smooth, careful not to make too much noise. Leon smiled, patting its snout. 

“Thank you.” He said, then returned Charizard to its pokeball. 

Then Leon turned to Raihan’s apartment. It was mostly dark inside, but he could see a light coming from the hallway. Leon started tapping his knuckles on the glass, hoping Raihan could hear him. He didn’t dare send a message to let Raihan know he was coming, afraid that Rose would (somehow) intercept it. 

Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long. The lights in the sitting room flicked on as Raihan stepped into view. Leon waved his arm to catch his attention. Raihan startled, then squinted at him. He came over to the balcony and slid the glass door open.

“Leon? It’s one in the morning, what are you doing here?”   
  
Raihan looked like he was ready for bed, dressed in loose sweatpants and a thin t-shirt. Leon stared up at him. 

“I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”

Raihan didn’t even hesitate. “Of course.”

He stood aside, closing the door behind Leon. But Leon didn’t feel safe until he also slid shut the blinds covering the glass doors as well. 

“Leon?” Raihan asked. 

He took a breath and turned to face Raihan.

“Sorry, it’s just that I’m not supposed to be here right now.”

Raihan furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”   
  
Leon hesitated, unsure how much he should actually tell Raihan. The less he knew, the safer he would be. But they were also alone now. 

So Leon said, “There’s something I have to do soon, Rai, but it’s something I really don’t want to. And I just… I think I wanted to see you before I did it.”   
  
Raihan was silent for a moment. Then he guided Leon to sit on the couch. 

“So is this not about the League?”   
  
Leon shook his head, looking down at his hands. He forced himself to breathe so his heartbeat would stay even. 

Raihan wrapped an arm around Leon’s shoulders and pulled him in closer. 

“Hey, Leon. You came here, so talk to me. What’s wrong?”

“I wish I could tell you Rai, but I can’t. I just needed to see you.”

He looked into Raihan’s eyes. “I think I’m just scared.”

Raihan frowned and didn’t say anything at first. Then he started rubbing circles into Leon’s back. 

“Talk to me.” He said again, “Leon, you had to have showed up at my flat in the middle of the night for a reason. I  _ want _ to help you.”

Leon shook his head, blinking as his eyes grew wet and warm. He leaned into Raihan’s touch. He had missed the scent of sandstorms that always clung to Raihan’s clothes. He had forgotten the feeling of the calluses on Raihan’s hands.

Leon wished tomorrow would never come. 

As he leaned against Raihan’s shoulder, he said softly, “There  _ is _ someone.” 

Raihan paused. 

“What?”   
  
Leon’s throat felt like it was starting to burn. “There’s someone.”

Someone hurting him. Someone who was keeping him from Raihan. 

At first, nothing in Raihan’s touch changed. He didn’t pull away from Leon. But his hold on Leon grew a little more firm. 

“Who is it?” He asked, and it almost made Leon flinch. 

He didn’t sound furious. He wasn’t shouting. 

His voice was low and steady, but it sounded exactly like the calm before the storm. It brewed with something that was not patient or merciful. And the way his lips peeled back in a snarl, revealing his pointed teeth, betrayed what he was really feeling.

“Who is it?” Raihan repeated, eyes narrowing. 

Leon swallowed. 

He could do it. He could tell Raihan and finally have someone else know. But at the same time, Raihan was safer if he never found out.

“I still can’t tell you, Rai. But… they’re doing something that I need to stop.”

“No.” Raihan said, cupping Leon’s face so he couldn’t look away. “Tell me right now, Leon.”

And Leon wanted to lean into Raihan’s touch as much as he wanted to flinch away from it. 

Raihan continued, “You’re right here, and you’ve finally admitted that there’s someone. Tell me right now, and I’ll rip them apart for you.”

Leon’s throat went dry. He’d never seen Raihan like this before. 

When Raihan got mad, he tended to explode. He raised his voice and bared his fangs. He sometimes trained for hours until he couldn’t physically move. Leon had never seen Raihan like this before, almost icy calm. 

_ Rose. _ He wanted to say. It’s all he would have had to say, and Raihan would have torn Rose to shred with his own hands. But Leon knew better than most that it would take more than that to truly hurt the Chairman.

Leon’s hand wrapped around Raihan’s wrist. Not to pull it away, just to hold it.

“Rai, please. I can’t.”

Raihan’s snarl grew, his eyes narrowing further. He stood up, running his hands through his hair.

Leon thought he was going to explode. He tensed.

“...Then when  _ will _ you tell me?” Raihan asked, back to Leon. His voice was barely a whisper.

“I-”   
  
But Leon didn’t know.

“...Soon. When it’s safer. I promise.”   
  
Raihan’s shoulders slumped. His arms fell to his sides. He turned, his stare both icy cold and burning hot at once.    
  
“You swear?” He asked.   
  
Leon nodded. 

Raihan didn’t look entirely happy, but he at least seemed more satisfied than before. He sat back down on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees. 

“Stay the night?” He asked, although it sounded more like a request.

And damn, Leon wanted to. He really did. But Rose could check on his location whenever he wanted to.

“Sorry, but I have to get back to Wyndon.”    
  
“But you just got here, and it’s late.”   
  
Leon sighed. “I know. But I have to leave.”

Leon stood up. Raihan followed him to the balcony. But before starting his flight back to Wyndon, Leon couldn’t resist embracing Raihan and resting his head on the other’s shoulder. Raihan immediately wrapped his arms around Leon, running a hand through his hair.

Leon’s eyes burned, and he hoped he wasn’t going to start crying.

“I want to see you again soon.” He said, voice muffled by Raihan’s shirt. 

Raihan sighed, and Leon felt his chest expanding.

“Whenever you can, I’ll be here for you.” He said. 

Leon nodded, lingering for a moment longer.

He had a region to protect, but after that… after showing Rose that Leon was more than just a doll, he was going to see Raihan again. Whether Rose would let him or not. For the first time in years, Leon was going to take what he wanted.

* * *

Rose Tower had never looked more intimidating. Standing tall even among the Wyndon skyscrapers, it was a beacon in both night and day. But it wasn’t the building itself that made Leon’s stomach churn, it was the man at the very top. 

The morning was sunny and warm, but Leon only felt the cold breeze passing by.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before going inside. He took the massive platform elevator up to the very top of the Tower, the ride painfully long and yet far too short. 

There was no heroic music or fanfare when the elevator stopped. Only Oleana sitting at her desk outside of Rose’s private office. 

“I have to talk to Rose.” Leon said.

She hardly even spared him a glance. “The Chairman wanted me to request your presence for later today, but since you’re already here, I’ll let him know.”   
  
Leon wasn’t surprised that Rose wanted to see him. He might have wanted to discuss the next League season, or Eternatus. Or why Leon was in Hammerlocke last night. 

He walked past Oleana and pushed open the doors to Rose’s private office, ignoring the way his heart began to beat faster as he did so.

Rose was sitting behind his polished mahogany desk, typing away at his computer. 

“Ah, darling. Do you mind closing the doors behind you?” He asked.

Leon did so, but only because he wanted to. 

“Rose, we have to talk.” 

“Indeed.” Rose said. He paused, finally looking over at Leon. He gestured toward one of the plush chairs in front of his desk. “Come, sit.”   
  
But Leon didn’t move. He felt better this way, with some distance between them.

Rose raised a brow at him. “Don’t be stubborn, Leon. Sit down.”

“No.”   
  
Leon surprised them both with how steady his voice was. 

“I came to talk, and I want you to listen.” 

Silence followed for a moment. Rose showed no outward reaction.    
  
“Is that so?” He eventually asked. He only stared at leon, hands lacing together in front of him. 

Then, he chuckled humorlessly. “I was going to ask you about why you were in Hammerlocke last night, but please, humor me.”

Leon’s fists clenched at his side, and his shoulders tensed. Out of all the ways Leon envisioned this encounter in his head, including all the ways Rose could become furious with him, he did not expect this. This sort of  _ amusement.  _ But Rose was never an easy man to intimate, only because it was most often him doing the intimidating. 

But not today, not now. 

Leon stood his ground. 

“I won’t help you capture Eternatus.”

Silence followed once more.

Rose blinked. But again, he didn’t seem angry. He didn't even seem surprised. He only leaned back in his chair. “Is that all, darling?”   
  
Something like irritation flashed through Leon. It was the desire to be taken seriously, knowing he  _ had _ to be taken seriously, but Rose still treating him like a child. 

Leon knew he shouldn’t show how upset he actually was, but he couldn’t stop his voice from raising. 

“You said you needed me. I don’t care what you try doing to me, but I’m not helping you wake up that  _ thing _ in your power plant. And without me, you won’t be able to control it either!”

Rose still did nothing. He did not stand up, he did not start raising his voice to match Leon’s fury. But Leon almost wished Rose would grow angry with him, just so he knew he was even getting through to him. 

“Do you even know what you’re doing, Rose? You’re risking the entire region over this! You’re trying to play god, but I’m not letting you!”

Finally, it seemed that Leon struck a nerve. Rose’s gaze hardened and he frowned, placing his palms flat on his desk. 

“Leon, you have absolutely no idea what you’re trying to talk about. I know full well the dangers of awakening Eternatus. I am aware it may bring about another Darkest Day, but you fail to see one thing.”   
  
And Rose  _ laughed _ at him. 

“I know you, Leon. I know you even better than your own mother does. And I know, even if you don’t agree with me now, I can revive Eternatus and you’d help me. Because without a doubt, you’ll feel obligated to protect your friends and your region.”

Rose waved one hand to the side. “Of course, I do care about Galar’s people as well. But once Eternatus is fully tamed, there will be nothing to worry about. The Darkest Day will be stopped thanks to you. All will be well, and with you by my side, I will be able to essentially reign over Galar as I should.”

He rested his chin on one of his hands. “Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, darling?”   
  
A part of Leon wanted to leave the room out of frustration, a second part of him wanted nothing more than to wipe that smile off of Rose’s face.

But another part of him, a far greater part, knew very well that he did not have the upper hand in this conversation. Leon had always felt so small around Rose. And for so long, he had only been whatever Rose wanted. How could he possibly think that he’d be able to stop him now?

But then he thought back to Raihan, who was waiting for him. As well as Sonia and Magnolia and his little brother and his Mum.

He couldn’t lose his nerves now, he already came all this way.

Leon prepared himself for the worst. 

“If you don’t stop this, Rose, then I’ll resign from the League. I’ll even leave the region and take my family with me.” 

Leon hesitated for only a second, “And… and I’ll tell the press what you’ve been doing to me over the years.”

A flash of surprise struck Rose, his eyes widening for a moment before he schooled his expression. But it was enough. Leon knew he had something against Rose now. 

“No one will believe you.”   
  
“I’ll show them my tattoo, and photos of me from before the surgeries.”

“You think that will be enough? You’re risking your reputation far more than my own.”   
  
Leon shook his head. “But it’ll get the entire region talking. It’ll place enough doubt on you so that if you do create another Darkest Day, no one will trust you anymore.”   
  
All the amusement faded from Rose’s eyes. He fixed Leon with a long, indecipherable look. He leaned forward in his chair, and Leon instinctively started reaching for a Pokeball. 

But then, Rose started typing away at his computer.

Leon paused, Charizard’s Pokeball in his hand. 

“What are you doing?” He asked.    
  
Rose didn’t respond. 

“What are you doing, Rose?” Leon asked, louder this time.

But Rose kept his eyes on his screen. He hummed softly. “I wonder where this little rebellious streak came from. And when you’ve decided to refer to me by name. I’ve always been Sir to you, haven’t I?"   


Rose stopped, eyes scanning over something that Leon couldn’t see.    
  
“Darling, answer a question for me. What do you think Raihan would hate the most, being accused of rape, murder, or pedophilia?”

Leon froze, feeling like a bucket of ice had been poured over his head. He stared at Rose.

“You’re bluffing.”   
  
Rose turned his monitor around, allowing Leon to see his screen. There were multiple files open, with various photos and documents. They all had to be fake. 

“I’ve had these saved for while now. False evidence is awfully easy to create when you know the right people.”

Rose leaned back in his chair, smirking at Leon. “I know you care for Raihan. I don’t know why, but you do. So you wouldn’t want to ruin his career, and certainly not his life.”

Leon took a step back, stomach plummeting. 

“You- you can’t.”   
  
Rose laughed. “You can still try to play hero if you want, darling. But if you try to defy me again, I’ll make Raihan pay in return.”

Leon felt his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. The room felt like it was shrinking, the air being squeezed out of his lungs.

He shook his head.

“I’ll tell the public it isn’t true.”

“I trust that you will. But I have people in the government, the justice system, and the top news outlets in my pocket, Leon. I can make it so no one hears you, let alone believes you.”

And just like that, Rose had returned to where he’d always been in their relationship. On top. 

His eyes lit up for a moment, and he glanced to the side. 

“Actually…”

Rose stood up, and Leon flinched. 

But Rose walked over to the far wall and slid a bookshelf aside. It moved far easier than Leon expected, making a sound as if it were rolling. But behind it was a safe. Rose opened it and retrieved something that Leon couldn’t see. Then he turned to Leon, something small in one of his hands. 

Leon’s grip on his Pokeball tightened. 

Rose approached him.

“I really wish you didn’t try making all this fuss, Leon. I would have preferred for this to occur under far more pleasant circumstances, but now might be a more appropriate time.”

Leon stood still, utterly frozen as Rose stopped in front of him and revealed the small, velvet box in his hand. 

He knew what was inside before Rose even opened it. 

And inside it was a ring. Rose gold and inlaid with diamonds.

It was a wedding band.

“Instead of forcing you into complacency, Leon, how about a different agreement? A trade of sorts.”

He cupped Leon’s face, tearing his eyes away from the box so he was forced to look at Rose. 

“Marry me, and allow me to make you the most well off spouse in Galar. In return, and if you behave, I promise that Raihan and anyone else you care about will remain unharmed.”

Leon opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He couldn’t move. 

He felt like he could barely breathe and his eyes burned. 

Rose wiped away the tear that fell from his eye.

Leon closed his mouth and swallowed, throat dry. 

He came to Rose today to stop him. To protect the region and everyone he cared about. 

But Leon was weak. 

He had always been so weak.

“Leon?” Rose asked, “What do you say, darling? Will you make me the happiest man in the world?”

He didn’t dare trust himself to speak. 

Leon closed his eyes. 

He nodded.

And as Rose smiled and pulled him closer for a kiss, Leon silently apologized to Raihan. 


	14. Interlude II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw for mild sexual themes in this chapter

It only took one day for Leon to sign off on the formal paperwork. 

Rose already had their marriage organized. All that was left was Leon’s signature on the paperwork and then, as soon as it was processed, they would be allowed to marry. 

Leon stared at his signature, the wet ink still glistening. 

Rose was making him keep his last name. Their marriage was going to be as unknown and private as possible. And despite both of them being so well-recognized, Rose had the means of preventing the news from spreading.

But Leon knew, very distantly, that this was it. He had just willingly signing his life, his freedom, and his remaining privacy away. 

His name on the papers in front of him proved it.

But he didn’t dare dwell on it for too long. It was easier this way, just signing where Rose needed him to. 

“When is the wedding?” He asked, his voice soft even to himself.

“Well, obviously we're going to be having a civil ceremony. I don’t need our union broadcasted quite yet, and I’d hate to think of the stress it’d be placing on you.”   
  
Rose lightly kissed Leon’s cheek. “How about we get married here, in the Tower? I already have our witnesses and clergyman picked out.”

Leon blinked. “Witnesses?”

Rose chuckled. “Yes, of course. We can’t have a formal union without someone to bear witness!”

Leon immediately thought of his mother and brother, and what they would think of him marrying a man twice his age. 

Rose squeezed his hand. “There’s nothing to worry about, darling. All you need to worry yourself with is your attire, and your vows.”

_ “Vows?” _

Leon had never participated in a non-traditional wedding before. He still needed to write out vows?

“Truthfully, I don’t particularly care what you choose to say. What’s important is that we will be officially wedded.” Rose said.

He pulled Leon closer to rest his head on Rose’s shoulder. “Please, dear, don’t cry. The ceremony will be a very private event just for you.”

“...Thank you, Sir.”

The words fell from his mouth from years of saying them. 

Rose made a low sound in his throat.    
  
_ “Please, _ Leon. After we’re wedded, I’d like you to just call me Rose. It sounds so much more natural, doesn’t it?”

Leon didn’t answer. 

A few days passed.    
  
Raihan tried to text and call and email him. Leon didn’t respond to any of them. 

His little brother asked when he’d be able to come home. Leon didn’t respond. 

Sonia tried calling him. So did his mum. 

Leon didn’t answer any of them.

It should have taken longer to get government approval, but Rose was never a patient man. By the end of the week, they had documents officially stating they were cleared to be wedded. 

Rose picked the date they were to be married.

And then two things happened.    
  
One, Rose released a statement to the press announcing an impromptu gala being hosted by him at the end of the month. It was meant to be an exclusive gathering for the League and their sponsors, with the theme of “Shining Star” (whatever that meant). In an unusual statement, Rose said he would be encouraging each invited person to bring a guest. Leon saw the date of the gala. It was the night of his wedding. Rose probably planned it that way. 

And in the meantime, it took only a few days for a moving team to completely empty out Leon’s penthouse. Most of it was done in the middle of the night, using only Macro Cosmos employees. Leon hadn’t always liked his big, lonely penthouse, but it was more of a home to him than Rose’s own penthouse would ever be. 

He stood in his empty bedroom one last time, wishing he had more time to say goodbye.

More time to adjust. 

More time to accept his fate. 

But Leon was now officially sharing residency with Rose. 

He stood outside Rose’s front door, staring at the rather messy interior. Packing boxes were stacked inside, miscellaneous decorations having been moved to make space for Leon’s belongings. 

Rose took his hand as he lead Leon over the threshold. “I hope you don’t mind, Leon. I just couldn’t wait for the wedding to have you move in.”

This was the place where Leon went to be punished. This was supposed to be his home now. 

“I…” Leon had no idea what to say, only knowing that Rose expected him to respond. 

Rose’s penthouse was even larger than Leon’s. The man also owned several other homes both in Galar and abroad. There was so much more space than in Leon’s flat, but it felt so much smaller. 

The front door closed behind him. 

Rose cupped Leon’s face and pulled him closer for a kiss. His lips were always so soft, and Leon’s were as well maintained as the rest of his body. 

“Are you nervous, darling?”   
  
Leon didn’t know how to answer. 

Rose’s smile faded. “Please, Leon. As my future husband, I’d like you to be able to talk to me.”

The “h” word made Leon’s skin crawl. He swallowed, throat tight. “I just… I feel like we’re moving so fast.”

Not even a week ago, Leon was in Raihan’s apartment. Not even a week ago, Leon promised he’d see Raihan again. 

Rose’s gaze softened. He held Leon’s hands in his own. “I know we’re moving fast, darling. It’s just that, with the League and  _ it _ on the horizon, I’d like to get everything between us settled as soon as possible.”

Leon looked down at his hands.    
  
He knew  _ it _ was Eternatus, the creature Rose so desperately wanted to awaken. But since their  _ spat _ (Rose’s words, not his), neither have mentioned their fight. Rose even acted as if it hadn’t even happened. 

Rose rubbed little circles into Leon’s palms. “How about this, darling? I’ll take care of everything. I’ll have your suit and stylists sorted. In the meantime, why don’t you visit your mother?”

Leon blinked, hands falling to his sides. “Really?”

Rose shrugged, making his way to the kitchen and pouring himself a glass of wine. “Our marriage is being done privately, but why don’t you invite her to the gala? She’s your mother, after all. I wouldn’t mind if you wanted her to attend.”

Rose poured a second glass of wine. Leon walked over and took it. 

As he drank, Rose reached for the chain resting around Leon’s throat and gently pulled at it. It lifted from underneath his shirt, revealing the ring strung on it. Leon was to always have it on him, but to never visibly wear it. The ring was for Rose’s satisfaction only.

“This color truly suits you,” He said, “Maybe I’ll find something rose gold for you to wear to the gala.”

“Yes... Rose.”   
  
Leon hated the sound of Rose’s name on his lips. But Rose’s gaze darkened as he did so, eyes burning with a hunger that Leon knew well. 

That night, he was not surprised and he laid helpless beneath Rose, moaning and gasping into the silk pillows. Rose had a handful of his hair in his hand, tugging enough to make Leon whine softly.

“You’re just too gorgeous.” He said. “I just can’t wait for our wedding night."

Leon wished he wouldn’t say those things. 

He hated nights like these. They were worse than when Rose only cared about his own pleasure. He knew Leon too well. He knew what was too rough when it came to pulling his hair, and how to force those little gasps from his lips.

A hand wrapped around his cock, making Leon choke on a startled moan.   
  
“W-wait-”   
  
But Rose never listened to him. 

Leon writhed beneath him, high pitched moans being forced from his throat.   
  
Rose drove him to the precipice of his orgam, and pushed him over it.

Leon gasped, mouth open, tears blurring his vision.

He went limp, letting Rose finish inside him. He never liked wearing condoms. 

But Leon laid awake that night, even as Rose fell asleep beside him. It was the early hours of the morning, and Rose had been snoring softly for a while now. Leon slowly, very slowly, pushed himself onto his elbows. Rose didn’t stir. 

He eased himself out of bed, fully expecting at any moment for Rose to wake up. But he didn’t. 

So Leon picked up his phone and made his way to the bathroom as quietly as possible. He didn’t flick on the lights, the moonlight enough for him. Leon turned on his phone, opening up all the texts from Raihan that had gone unanswered. 

He had broken his promise to tell Rai who it was. But if Rose had his way, Raihan was never going to know about them. 

Leon wished he stayed the night at Raihan’s, even if it could have gotten him in trouble. Because the threat of Rose being angry with him was nothing compared to _ this.  _

He bit down on the collar of his shirt, chest stuttering and heaving as he tried to breathe. He had to keep quiet, even as tears started falling from his eyes. 

If he could have stayed the night with Raihan, maybe even fallen asleep in the same bed, at least Leon would at least have that memory. He would have been able to enjoy Raihan’s touch, his hold, at least one time. 

**Leon:** Delete these messages as soon as you read them. And please don’t try to do anything, I’ll be fine. 

**Leon:** I’m sorry, Rai. I tried, but things went wrong. I’m going to try to make it better.

**Leon:** I love you

Leon stared at the last message, finger hovering over the  _ send _ button. If he didn’t send it, he could likely keep his all his previous conversations with Raihan. And he’d at least have those. 

But if Leon was going to be with Rose now, he couldn’t bear the idea of Raihan not knowing how he felt. Even if he was confessing in the worst way at the worst time, it was going to be better than nothing.

He sent the last message. Then he deleted his conversation with Raihan so Rose wouldn’t be able to see his confession. 

He blocked Raihan’s number. 

And just like that, it was over. Leon’s remaining chance with Raihan, no matter how small, was gone. 

Leon flushed the toilet and let the sink run for a few seconds, just in case, and returned to the bedroom. He set his phone down as quietly as possible and slipped under the covers.    


Rose did not stir. 

* * *

The next morning, Leon was on the earliest train ride home with his suitcase packed. Rose was giving him only a few days to spend at home, still fully expecting Leon to prepare for the League. Leon had nodded, knowing his team would protect his title as they did every year so far. 

By mid-morning, Leon had arrived in Postwick. He hadn’t told his family he was visiting, but he hoped Mum wouldn’t mind. Leon rang the doorbell just to be safe, wondering if anyone would be home. Hop was in school, and even though Leon provided enough so that Mum didn’t have to work, she was often out of the house. 

But then, the door opened. Mum gasped, pressing one hand to her mouth. 

“Leon, baby? You should have told us you were coming!”

She pulled him down for a hug, and Leon nearly melted in her hold. She was so warm, her sweater so soft, and Mum always smelled like lavender. Leon dropped the bag he’d been carrying over his shoulder. He held Mum close and buried his face in her sweater. 

“Leon? Are you alright?” She asked, combing through his hair. 

“Yeah… I just missed you.” 

He felt more than heard Mum laughing, feeling her shoulders shake. “Oh, well you know you’re always welcome here.”

She stood aside, gesturing for Leon to come in. He set his bags down in his bedroom, not bothering to unpack yet. But Leon did check inside his bag for his Pokeballs. There were the ones for his team, but also the three for Hop and his friend. Leon almost chose not to bring them, worried about Hop participating in the League this year with everything that had happened. 

But he had to remind himself that he needed to keep his little brother from Rose. Getting this over with early was probably for the best. Leon was also hoping he’d be able to give them their partners right before the start of the League, but a little earlier wouldn’t hurt.

“Leon?” Mum called from downstairs, “Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?”

He grabbed his jar of protein powder and headed down the stairs. “Don’t worry, I just need the blender.”   
  
Mum pursed her lips.    
  
“Is that all you’re eating?”   
  
Leon busied himself with pulling out the blender from one of the cabinets. “Yeah, I’m not really hungry today. Do you know when Hop is coming home?”   
  
“Oh, he’s going to his new friend’s house later today. His name is Victor, he’s quite sweet.”

Leon nodded, turning the blender on. After the sound died down, Mum asked, “Are you going to visit Sonia and the Professor while you’re here? They’d love to see you.”   
  
Leon froze, then immediately resumed pouring his milkshake. “Uh, maybe. I’m sure they’re busy though.”

“Well, you should at least let Sonia know you’re home. She came looking for you last week. She said couldn’t get a hold of you, and it seemed like there was something she wanted to tell you.”   
  
Leon exhaled through his nose, shoulders tensing. “I’ve been really busy lately.”   


He chugged half his shake before pausing.

“Actually, Mum, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to Rose’s gala at the end of the month.”

_ “Me?” _ Mum asked, pressing a hand to her chest. “Wouldn’t you want to invite Sonia instead?”   


Leon shook his head. “Rose wanted me to ask, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.” 

Mum smiled, embarrassed, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Well… it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to get out of the house.”

“You should come, the food will be great too.”   
  
“Oh, but I’m not sure if I have anything fancy enough for a gala in Wyndon.”   
  
Leon leaned against the kitchen counter. “I know lots of stylists and designers. I can talk to one.”

Oleana could find a fancy dressmaker easy. Probably a dozen of them, if he asked.

Leon watched his Mum consider it. On one hand, he had spent so long trying to keep Rose from his family. But on the other, Leon didn’t want to be alone anymore. Marriage had always been such a foreign concept to him, an idea for the far future. But now… as childish as it made him feel, he wanted his mother to be there for him, even if she didn’t know the true intention behind the gala. 

“Mum?” He asked. 

She sighed, coming over to him to press a kiss to his cheek. 

“I guess I shouldn’t say no to an invitation from the Chairman himself. I’ll go.”

Her smile faded a little bit as she held his face in her hands. She tilted Leon’s face to the side.

“You look tired, Leon. Are you sick?”   
  
“I’m fine,” Leon quickly said. “Just a lot of work, preparing for the League and all.”   
  
Mum tilted her head to the side, eyes narrowing a bit. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re home. How about you go take a nap? I’ll wake you up for lunch.”

Leon genuinely smiled. “Thanks, Mum.”

He took his milkshake up to his room, finished it off, and changed into more comfortable clothes. Leon closed the blinds in his room and curled up in his bed. His sheets didn’t smell like Mum’s detergent, but they were soft from years of use. Rose enjoyed silkier sheets, but they didn’t quite feel like home. 

Leon was asleep in minutes. 

It felt like he had slept for a whole night, but when he woke up to a knocking on his door, a bright sliver of sunlight was peeking from between his curtains. Leon sat up, assuming it was Mum knocking. 

“Yeah?” He called. 

_ “Leon?”  _

His blood froze. It was Sonia.

She opened the door. Sonia did not immediately rush to hug him, the way Leon expected her to. She stepped inside his room, closing the door behind her. 

“Lee? Where have you been?”

“Wh-”

She sat on the edge of his bed. “Are you alright? What have you been doing? Do you know how worried Raihan was last night? He called me at three in the morning saying he wanted to call the police.”

_ “What?” _   


How did Sonia even know he was home? It had to have been Mum. 

Leon shook his head. “But I’m fine! I’ve just been busy!”

Sonia frowned at him. She put a hand over his own. 

“Lee, Raihan told me there was someone hurting you.”

Leon froze, mouth going dry. His heart felt like it skipped a beat, stuttering in his chest. 

“But I-”

“Lee.” She said, squeezing his hand. “We’re both here for you. I get that maybe you don’t want to tell your Mum, but you shouldn’t be trying to hide this.  _ Please _ let us help you.”

Leon’s other hand curled into his sheets. 

“Did Raihan actually call the police?”   
  
Sonia shook her head. “I’m not sure. But if that’s what you’re so scared of, then don’t be. If you want someone to go to the police with you, then we can both-”

“Sonia, they’d never believe me.”

She faltered. “What? Why not?”   
  
Leon couldn’t meet her stare. 

He loved his friends so much, but he wished they’d just  _ stop. _ There was nothing they could do, anyways.

“He’s too powerful, Sonia, and there are too many people in his pocket. There’s been a reason why I haven’t tried doing anything. It’s-” He took a shaky breath, “-it’s better this way.”

The silence stretched between them.

“I’m sorry.” 

Sonia leaned forward, hugging Leon. “Please don’t be. Lee, just tell me who it is. You’re the  _ Champion,  _ there’s no way he could get away with abusing you.”

Leon wanted to laugh. 

“You don’t know him.”

“If you told me who he was, then maybe I would.”   
  
Leon rested his forehead against her shoulder. 

“Sonia?”   
  
“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry… but I don’t think you can help me.”

Because if Rose had measures against Raihan, maybe he had more on Sonia, or Leon’s family. Leon shouldn’t have, but he said, “I know he can hurt Raihan. And maybe you, too.”

Sonia didn’t immediately say anything.

“But things are getting better between us. We’ve… we made up.”

Sonia pulled away, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. She was biting onto her lip, eyes red and wet. 

“I don’t care what some fancy asshole tries to do to me. You know I’ll always be here for you. No matter what.”   
  
Leon’s own eyes burned. “I know.”   
  
And then Sonia tried to smile. “Good. But Lee, can you please promise me something?”   
  
No. Leon had learned that Rose could make him break any promises he tried keeping.

“Yes?” 

“Promise me you’ll tell  _ someone _ if you’re in serious danger. Please promise me that you’ll at least try to do something for yourself.”

And Leon wanted to cry. 

This entire time, he’s  _ been _ trying to save himself. He’s  _ been _ trying to stop Rose. 

Nothing he’s done so far has worked. But as long as he makes Rose happy, everyone he cared about would be safe. 

“Lee?”   
  
“I… I promise.”

Leon hugged her again, wishing that she wouldn’t cry for him.

* * *

It was almost dinner time when Hop got home. He spent the day with Victor, and texted Mum to see if his friend could come over for dinner.    
  
She said he could, but she also mentioned a surprise waiting for Hop at home. 

“Come on, Victor!” He said, sprinting down the cobblestone path toward his house. Victor chased after him, and the two of them arrived at Hop’s house. 

Hop pushed open the front door. “Mum! We’re home!”   
  
He already smelled something spicy cooking, probably curry. He followed the smell to the kitchen and froze when he saw who was helping Mum cook.

Leon smiled at him. His hair was messier than usual, and he looked like he had just woken up from a nap. “Hey, Hop Scotch.” 

Hop didn’t even realize it when he nearly threw himself into Leon’s arms. “Lee! When’d you get home?”

Leon laughed softly, spinning Hop around despite Mum’s protests. When Leon set him down, he said, “Look at you, I bet you grew… an inch and a half since the last time I saw you.”

Hop beamed. “Yup! You got it right!”    


He turned to Victor, who was standing in the doorway. “Victor! This is my older brother, Leon.”

As if Leon needed any introduction.    
  
Leon’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you’re Victor? Hop told me a lot about you.”

Victor was usually pretty quiet, but Hop could tell he was excited to meet Leon. 

Dinner was soon served, with Hop taking the seat next to his older brother.

He tried asking about what Leon’s been doing, especially with the Gym Challenge starting soon, but Leon gave him a strange look. Almost like reluctance. Hop didn’t know what it meant, so he dropped it. 

After dinner, Leon pulled them aside. He whispered overdramatically, “Come with me, I’ve got presents for you two.”

Hop and Victor shared a look as Leon lead them outside to the courtyard. It was almost sunset now. Leon put his hands on his hips as he stood in front of them.

“So, the two of you are old enough to start your own Gym Challenges, right?”   
  
Hop’s eyes widened. “No way! Lee, are you really..?”

Leon nodded. “Yup! I think you’re both ready for my endorsement, but you’ll have to prove you can handle it first.”

Outside, Hop couldn’t tell if the bags under Lee’s eyes were from being tired, or from the sunlight. But he couldn’t resist feeling excited when Leon pulled out a few Pokeballs and released three Pokemon Hop had never seen before. 

Leon introduced them as Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. They had to be super rare for Hop to have never heard of them before!

“These are the Pokemon that you’ll be starting your own adventures with, so choose wisely.” Leon said.

Hop turned to Victor. “I’ve already got Wooloo, though. So why don’t you pick first?”   
  
Leon smiled at him, and it made Hop feel like he was doing the right thing. After all, it wouldn’t be good sportsmanship to have too big of an edge on his rival. 

Victor ended up choosing Sobble, which Hop didn’t mind at all. He’d much rather have Scorbunny anyways. His new partner Pokemon leapt into his arms, nuzzling against his neck as Leon knelt by the last Pokemon, the Grookey, and gave it a gentle pat.

“You’ll be sticking with me, then.” Hop heard him saying. 

“Lee! Thank you so much!” Hop said.

Lee stood back up, crossing his arms in front of him. “Don’t thank me yet. You both have a long journey ahead of you, so you better give it your all.”

Hop and Victor shared another look. He met his brother’s eyes and nodded. “We won’t let you down, Lee. Promise!”


	15. Isn't It Love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy ✨🥀✨
> 
> (Title from Steven Universe)
> 
> **Also, y'all want sum fan art? My friend has made an amazing page of doodles from various scenes throughout the story that's at the bottom of the chapter (mild NSFW warning if you're in public)**

Today was the day. 

Leon was going to be married in all senses of the word by the end of the night. 

But right now, at eight in the morning, he arrived at the Tower with Rose like it was any other day. His hair had been straightened and combed, and his cape was dry cleaned the night before. Rose’s suit was new and shiny, although it was still the same grey he usually wore. But nothing else about them seemed unusual. And no one knew about the rings hanging on the chains around their necks. 

Leon closed his eyes and counted the seconds. The elevator innside took almost twenty seconds to reach the top of the building. 

Then it came to a stop. 

Leon opened his eyes. The viewing area wasn’t decorated to hint at a possible wedding. It looked as it always did, gleaming glass and shiny metal. There were three people waiting for them. One was Oleana. One was the officiant. One was a man he had never seen before, but had the same dark skin and green eyes like Rose. 

“Come, darling.” Rose said.

He held out his arm, and Leon accepted the offer it as he stepped off the platform elevator. They walked side by side to the podium set up in front of the glass dome, the morning light washing over them. 

“Leon, this is my brother. He will be our second witness for the ceremony.”

Leon didn’t know Rose had a brother. The man was burlier and looked a few years older than Rose, with the same glint in his eye. And he smiled at Leon, though it was all teeth.

“Pleasure to meet my new little brother in-law.”

Leon looked away, stomach churning. 

But then, the ceremony began. Leon didn’t hear anything the officiant said, not really, as he forced himself to remain quiet and stare into Rose’s eyes. 

This was it. He was actually, _legally_ getting married. 

He felt like he had no choice when the officiant paused, allowing them to share their vows. 

“Go ahead, darling.” Rose said softly.  
  
Leon didn’t have any paper or notecards prepared for this moment. He’d already known what he was going to say. He took a deep breath. 

“Rose, I grew up as Champion, but you always knew me as Leon.”

He hated the way his voice echoed across the room.  
  
“You always saw through the persona I put on for everyone else. You know me, and you’ve always done what you thought was best for me. Without you, I’d probably be a completely different person.”

Leon took a breath, “But you have always watched over me... and I know you always will.”  
  
Short and sweet.

Loving, even. If that was how Rose wanted it to sound. 

What Leon had just said was true, but very different for himself. 

He couldn’t force himself to smile. When it was just him and Rose, it was harder to put on a face than for thousands of screaming fans. 

“Darling…” Rose said.

He cleared his throat. 

“Oh, darling. You don’t know how long I’ve loved you. How much of a pleasure it was to watch you grow up.”

Leon’s throat tightened. 

He couldn’t bare to force himself to listen to the rest of Rose’s vows. At the very back of Leon’s mind, he saw Raihan. 

He saw Raihan in the middle of a battle, roaring against the rain or sandstorms he’d set up, staring through the weather and not breaking eye contact with Leon. 

And then, almost as soon as it had started, it was over.  
  
Rose was kissing his spouse, his hands resting on Leon’s shoulders. 

“Wonderful.” He said under his breath.

The chain weighed heavy on his throat. 

No one in the world other than the five people in the room knew they were married. And Leon hoped it’d stay that way.

The officiant, likely someone Rose picked out, left with little fanfare. Rose’s brother clapped a hand on Rose’s shoulder, talking about how excited he was for their gala tonight. Oleana and Rose departed for Rose’s office to continue with their work. And Leon left, heading to Wyndon stadium to exercise and train his team.

He thought, somehow, it’d hurt more. He almost hoped it’d hurt so much that Rose would see it in his eyes and feel even the slightest bit of regret. 

But even when he was thinking about Raihan, Leon couldn’t muster up the energy to feel that heartbroken. Rose had always taken what he wanted from Leon, and he likely wouldn’t have stopped any time soon, so what difference did this make?

Leon unleashed his team. He was alone on the pitch, not even an opponent to face him. Immediately, Charizard was nosing at his unusually soft hair. 

“Hey.” Leon said. He held his partner, his first ever Pokemon, close and scratched at the softer scales under Charizard’s chin. 

“It’s just been a rough morning.” He said. 

Charizard huffed, his breath so warm it made Leon’s eyes go dry. 

Grookey, by now a Rillaboom, lumbered over to him. Despite looking so intimidating, its species were actually known for their kindness and sense of harmony. It squinted at Leon, maybe wondering what caused him to seem so upset.

“I’m fine.” Leon said. He made sure no one was around when he pulled the necklace with the ring. 

“It was _that_ morning.”

Only Charizard seemed to truly understand what that meant. It bared its teeth and growled. 

“Shh, he’s not here. It’s just us.” Leon said, tucking the necklace away. “So let’s try to have a champion time, alright?”

He needed this. He needed to lose himself in his training. At least Charizard seemed to understand. 

For the rest of the morning, the stadium was alight with Charizard’s fire and the cries of his team. The grass was scorched and the dirt gouged by claws or blades. It almost made Leon forget about the chain around his neck.

At noon, Leon picked his mother up from the train station, taking her to her room at the Rose of the Rondelands before treating her to lunch. It was an Alolan-themed restaurant, one that Leon and Raihan had gone to a few times before. 

“The hotel was so nice, but I’m surprised you won’t let me stay with you for the night.” Mum said. 

She teased, “Is your flat that messy? Are you scared to show me?”

Leon’s face flushed as he glanced to the side. “Something like that.”  
  
She didn’t even know that Leon had moved out of his old penthouse. No one did. Rose was keeping everything secret until _it_ happened _._

Eternatus was slowly starting to stir inside its glass enclosure, body flaring with occasional bursts of light that could power the entirety of Hammerlocke on their own. 

Leon quickly asked, “So, who’s watching Hop?”  
  
“Oh, he’s staying with Victor for the night. Since you gave those boys their Pokemon, they’ve become even more inseparable than before.”

Leon smiled, nodding. “It’s good he has a friend his age.”

A rival was always a good thing to have. Leon probably wouldn’t have been half the trainer he was now without Raihan.

After lunch, Leon said goodbye to his mum, telling her that her stylists (courtesy of Rose) would stop by before the gala. He still had to get ready himself, and mentally prepare himself for the long night ahead. 

* * *

The Rose of the Rondelands was going to be hosting Rose’s “shining star” themed gala, its grand hall open and ready to serve the guests that would soon be arriving. A live orchestra and catering from across the world would be arriving as well. 

Leon stared at himself in the mirror. 

And he looked as beautiful as always. His makeup flawless, his hair styled into an intricate braid and decorated with white roses. The circlet made of thin, elegant bands of rose gold, adorned with diamonds and amber, gleamed in the light. 

His suit was white, but his tie was a deep crimson red.

“Darling?”

He saw Rose standing in the bathroom doorway behind him. His black suit was accented with a red tie, though much darker than Leon’s. 

“Come here. I have something for you.”  
  
Leon turned, eyes landing on the flat, velvet box in Rose’s hands. Rose flipped the top open, revealing a satin interior and a pair of white gloves. 

“Take off your ring.”  
  
And Leon did so, undoing the chain around his neck. Rose took his ring and slid it onto his finger. 

“It looks so beautiful, Leon, I wish you could wear it out in the open. But for now, wear these.”

And he handed the gloves to Leon. 

“Yes, Rose.”

Leon slid the gloves on. They were smooth as satin and could be tucked just beneath the hem of his sleeves. The outline of his ring was barely noticeable underneath.

“Thank you, Rose.”

“You’re quite welcome.” Rose kissed him. “Now, let’s get going.”

The plan was to arrive early, primarily so Rose could make his grand appearance, and then Leon was to bring his mother down from her hotel room. On the way to the Rose of the Rondelands, Leon stared out the tinted window. 

He heard the sound of the limousine partition rolling up.

A hand came to rest on his thigh. Rose squeezed him lightly. 

“You truly look gorgeous.” Rose said.

“Thank you, Rose. You look nice, too.”

That hand traveled upward, rubbing at Leon’s inner thigh. 

Leon didn’t outwardly react. 

He just put his hand over Rose, just so he’d stop rubbing his thigh. 

The rest of the ride passed in silence until they came upon the glimmering Rose of the Rondelands, brimming with light from every window. News reporters and paparazzi were held back by crimson ropes and security guards. The limo came to a slow stop, the hotel’s doors open and waiting for them. An attendant in a suit came up to the limo and opened the door for them. Rose was the first one out, lending a hand to help Leon. But once they were both out of the car, he thankfully let go so they would walk inside the hotel with a slight distance between them. 

Leon smiled and waved for cameras and flashing lights, caving and giving the reporters one of his signature poses before hurrying inside. The grand hall was filled with tables cloaked with white cloths, though there was an area near the stage that was left empty. Soft, classical music filled the air. 

The lights were dimmer than Leon’s expected, not harsh at all. The entire hall was filled with soft, golden light. The tables were set with vases of white and red roses and adorned with candles. The curtains were golden, as well as the cloth for a rectangular table set to the side, a slight distance away from the smaller, rounded tables.

Rose took his seat at the center of said table, with Leon standing at his side.

“I’m going to get my mother,” He said.

“Go ahead.” And Rose waved him off, smiling as a man that was one of the League’s sponsors came up to the table.

Leon slipped out of the hall, politely waving and smiling at the guests coming in. He made his way to the elevator and took it up to Mum’s floor. He knocked on her door, and almost hadn’t expected Mum to look so nice. Of course, Leon thought she was already a lovely woman, but her dark blue dress sparkled with silvery pearls, as if emulating the night sky. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. 

“Leon, you look so handsome!” She said while straightening his jacket. “Though I didn’t expect a _white_ suit of all things.”

She ran her fingers over Leon’s braid, eyes twinkling.

“If you aren’t careful, I’m sure some boy will mistake you for a girl.”

Leon’s face flushed red. _“Mum!”_

He covered his face with one hand, but offered his mother his other arm. 

“We should get going.”

Mum accepted, linking her arm with his. They descended down the elevator. 

On the way down, Leon said, “If there are any cameras, just try to smile for them. But they should all be outside still.”

Mum held onto him just a little bit tighter. The elevator came to a stop and opened up, revealing no surprise paparazzi that made it past security. Leon sighed softly and lead his mother to the grand hall. 

Rose’s brother had arrived, sitting at the seat to Rose’s side. 

Rose stood to greet them, taking Mum’s hand and pressing a kiss to it. 

“I see that elegance runs in the family.” He said. 

Leon bit his lip and his mother laughed.

“It’s good to see you too, Chairman.”  
  
“Please, I insist you call me just Rose.”

Leon didn’t want to think about the complex, uncomfortable family relations that now existed between his mother and Rose. As he sat down at Rose’s other side, his eyes drifted across the hall. Nessa was here, wearing a pale gold dress with a long, flowing trail. Next to her was Milo, wearing a glossy, pale green suit that reminded Leon of the aurora borealis.

Then Leon made eye contact with someone he absolutely didn’t expect to see at the gala. 

Sonia walked through the doors wearing a dress that reminded Leon of a sunset, with a black bodice with a skirt made of deep blues and dark reds. 

Linking arms with her was Raihan, dressed in a silver suit.

They both immediately started making their way toward the head table, unlinking arms quickly.

Leon looked away, unable to handle the weight of their combined stares. He could feel the Butterfree in his stomach, thinking back to the last few texts he sent Raihan.

Next to him, Rose stood up. 

“Ah, Raihan! You’re just in time, there’s a man here that I’d like you to meet. He says he would love to start sponsoring you.”

He glanced toward Sonia, smiling. “And where are my manners? You’re the Professor’s granddaughter, yes? I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl, way back when I was working with the Professor on first creating Dynamax bands.”

Raihan spoke up, “I’m sorry, Sir, it’s just that-”

Rose placed a hand on the back of Raihan’s jacket, steering him away from the table. “Oh, this won’t take long. I’d just like for you to…”

And the rest of their conversation faded away. Oleana, in a dark crimson dress, came up to the table. 

“If anyone tries to bother you, inform me right away and I’ll contact security.”

It was not an offer. Leon nodded. 

“Thank you, Oleana.”

She nodded, then took her place at the other end of the table.

Mum tugged at Leon’s jacket. “Leon, you look bored here. Why not go talk to your friends?”

Leon tried to smile at her. “I actually should stay here, you know. For appearances.”

“Well that doesn’t sound like fun.” Mum sipped her glass of champagne. “If you wanted to slip off some time later, I think I could hold my own in a conversation with Rose.”

Leon resisted the urge to glance toward where Rose took Raihan. But Oleana was sitting near him, likely trying to listen to them. 

“Thanks, Mum.” Leon said, a little softer than before. 

But he meant it. 

A moment later, Rose returned to the table. As the Chairman and Champion, they smiled and greeted the guests who wished to be welcomed. Some of the guests, mostly the sponsors, were people that Leon had barely even met. But he had to treat them all like he personally knew them. And attendants made certain that Leon’s glass was never more than halfway empty. 

People mingled until it was time to order and serve food. Leon spotted Sonia and Raihan in the far corner of the room. 

Before eating, Rose tapped his fork against his glass and stood. The ambient murmuring in the room died down. 

Rose smiled, always the professional. Always the showman. 

“Welcome, everyone! I am aware this gala was a tight fit in more than a few people’s schedules…”

Laughter rippled across the room. 

“...but I am truly thankful for the opportunity to host such an impressive number of Galar’s greatest tonight. It is all of you, trainers and sponsors alike, who make the League so great, and such a presence on the world stage. So for that, please accept my humblest thanks.”

Cheers rang out, although some could tell there was more that Rose wanted to say. 

And indeed, Rose cleared his throat. 

“I’d also like to give a special thanks to the young man beside me tonight.”

The attention in the room shifted to Leon. Years having countless eyes fall upon him kept him from shrinking in his seat. 

“Without my unbeatable Champion, our “shining star” so to say, I have no doubt that the League would not have the prestige or presence it does now… and I am truly blessed to have Leon by my side.”

Rose raised his glass. “To Leon!”

A chorus of voices repeated the toast, glasses raising and clinking like an onslaught of bells. Mum jokingly clinked her glass against Leon’s. 

“To my baby boy,” She said.

Leon should have laughed. Or groaned while rolling his eyes.

Instead, he sat utterly frozen as Raihan’s bright blue eyes bore into him. At a distance and in low lighting, Leon couldn’t quite decipher his facial expression. But he could tell that Raihan was thinking something. 

Leon quickly averted his gaze and ate, digging into his steak with a smidge more gusto than he should have been using. But he could still feel those eyes on him.

* * *

From the moment he set foot inside the hotel, Raihan got the sense that something was wrong. He just didn’t like something about the atmosphere. 

He should have fucking realized what it was when Rose steered him away from Leon. 

(He should have fucking realized it _months_ ago.)

Rose’s words echoed in his head. 

_...I am truly blessed to have Leon by my side…_

Something about those words made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. And he hated the way Leon hardly even reacted, barely even smiling in the wake of such praise. Raihan knew Leon, he knew what he looked like when he was happy, and when tired or upset. 

Raihan and Sonia were sitting at a table by themselves, in a secluded corner of the room. He grabbed her arm, eyes not leaving Leon. 

“Sonia… you said Leon was with some powerful, right?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
She followed his gaze, and he could see her stiffen from the corner of his eye. 

“You don’t think…”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“But… _Rose?”_

Something like anger, but also like humiliation, flooded his entire body. Raihan thought back to the time he went to Rose to talk about Leon, months ago. Because he thought Leon was being hurt by his personal trainer. Or all the other times he went to Rose because Rose was the Chairman. He was Leon’s father figure, the famous Galarian philanthropist and the man who regularly visited children’s hospitals.

He was supposed to be trustworthy.

But Raihan was just the biggest goddamn idiot in the entire world.

And who even knew the trouble he got Leon into?

The idea filled his lungs with burning hot shame, but his veins were full of fury now.

He should have cut across the room and slammed his fist into Rose’s face. But given Oleana’s watchful eye and the security guards lingering in the room, Raihan wouldn’t have gotten close. As much as he hated it, he waited. He didn’t touch any of his food, waving off anyone who tried sitting with them. 

When he could feel in his gut that the time was right, Raihan stood up. Sonia did as well. 

“No, stay here for a second.” He said.

Instead of making a straight line to sink his fist into Rose’s face, Raihan stopped at Opal’s table. She had brought one of her trainers with her, and was talking to who Raihan assumed was a sponsor. 

He knelt by her chair and kept his voice low. “Opal, I need you to help me out with something.”

She sipped her wine. “Oh?”  
  
“Can you keep Rose distracted for a few minutes?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, gaze not softened or clouded over even a smidge by her age. 

“You have something sneaky you want to do?”  
  
Raihan debated how honest he should try being. 

“Kind of. But I really need your help.”

She set her wine glass down and chuckled. “A few minutes is all you need? An actress of my caliber could keep him occupied for hours.” 

She stood up just as the music became more lively and a few people were starting to make their way to the dance floor. Raihan snuck back to his seat.

“Chairman Rose! How about you offer a woman a dance?” He heard Opal ask. “I bet I know the waltz even better than you.”

It took a smidge of convincing, but with all the eyes Opal was attracting, Rose conceded to her. 

“Get Leon. I’ll meet you out in the hallway.” Raihan said. 

Sonia nodded. “Got it.” 

She stood up, weaving her way through the tables as Raihan left the room. There were far less people out here, and Raihan found a glass door at the end of a hall that lead to a garden. He tested the door, finding that it was unlocked. 

He went back to the other end of the hall, hearing Sonia’s voice. 

“This place is so big, I’m so scared of getting lost! I can almost imagine what it feels like to be you!”

She laughed, loud and exaggerated, until Raihan appeared from around the corner and gestured for her to follow. 

“Raihan?” Leon asked. He sounded so surprised.

He lead them to the garden, which was lit only by the small lights along the path and the glow from the hallway. 

Before he closed the door behind them, Sonia reached into her purse and pulled out a Pokeball. A familiar Yamper yipped as it was released. Sonia knelt down beside it.

“Keep an eye on the hallway for us. If anyone comes this way, you start barking. Okay?”  
  
Yamper yipped, slipping past Raihan and back inside the building.

Then Sonia stood back up, and they both turned to face Leon. 

His eyes drifted between them. 

“Is something wrong?” He asked. 

“It’s Rose, isn’t it?” Raihan asked, voice low. 

Leon lowered his gaze. 

“I don’t know what you mean.”  
  
Raihan thought back to that one night not too long ago, where he got a few messages from Leon in the middle of the night.

_I love you._

And no matter how often he tried calling or texting, Leon never responded to him again. The person in front of him now wasn’t Galar’s Champion, their “shining star” or their hero. This was Leon. _Raihan’s_ Leon.

He grabbed Leon’s upper arms so he couldn’t look away. 

“Leon, no more fucking hiding it! Tell me right now if it’s Rose or not.”

But he was still avoiding his gaze.

Raihan snarled. 

_“Leon!”_ _  
_  
It made Leon flinch, and Raihan immediately regretted it.

Tears started slipping down Leon’s face as Sonia reached out and pulled Raihan away.

Raihan swallowed. “Lee, I- I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s alright.”

Leon wiped his face with one of his white gloves, and Raihan noticed the makeup that came away with it. 

“It’s just that… today’s been a busy day for me.” Leon started loosening his glove one finger at a time. “But you’re both my friends, and you deserve to know.”  
  
He pulled off the glove, showing Raihan and Sonia the ring he was wearing underneath. 

Leon looked up, smiling at them despite the redness in his eyes. 

“I got married today.”

Raihan heard Sonia gasped, raising her hands to cover her mouth. 

But he had to have misheard. 

Leon couldn’t be _married._

He wasn’t even in a relationship with anyone. 

And… he sent that message one night, promising that he loved Raihan back. 

So how did they not know? How could no one know that Leon, Champion of Galar, was fucking married? _  
_  
Raihan took Leon’s hand in his own, examining the ring.

Leon’s voice was barely a whisper, hoarse and strained. “I’m sorry, Rai.”

Sonia examined the ring herself, voice shaking only a little bit. “It’s okay, Lee. Just- just tell us-”

Raihan heard it before he registered what it meant. 

Yamper was barking from somewhere inside the building. Faster than Raihan or Sonia could react, Leon pulled his glove back on and wiped the rest of his tears away. 

“Don’t say anything,” he said, just as Chairman Rose pushed open the door to the garden. 

“Ah, this is where you’ve all gone.” He said.

Yamper growled at him. He chuckled. 

“I thought that maybe Leon had gotten lost again, but I found this lovely little thing in the lobby instead.”

Sonia recalled her Yamper to its pokeball. 

They were all standing near each other, but Raihan got the sense that Rose was staring at only Leon. 

“It’s chilly out, why don’t you all come back inside?”

It was Leon who moved first, then Sonia and Raihan followed. Back inside, Rose noticed Leon’s stained glove.

“Were you gardening out there? What did you do to yourself, Leon?” Rose chuckled again, “Oleana should have a spare set for you.”

“Sorry, Rose.”

Raihan frowned. Leon only ever called the chairman _Sir._

And to him, it was all the proof he needed.

Just as they reentered the grand hall, Raihan stopped. His hands balled into fists. 

Sonia tried to stop him. 

_“Rose!”_ He shouted, bringing the chatter and music in the room to a screeching halt.  
  
Leon froze, halfway back to his table. But Rose turned around slowly, unperturbed. He raised a brow at him. 

“Yes?”  
  
Raihan’s eyes narrowed at Rose, at his black suit. It looked so dark compared to Leon’s white suit. 

Like a husband and his bride.

And Rose had conned everyone in this room into attending his wedding. 

Raihan reached for the one pokeball he brought with him, the one Pokemon he never went anywhere without. 

He saw Leon moving too. 

In two flashes of light, a Duraludon and a Charizard burst to life, roaring as if already prepared for a battle. Gasps rang out across the room.

Raihan’s eyes widened at Leon. Why was he trying to stop him?

“Get out of my way.” Raihan said.

But Leon only shook his head. 

“Rai, please don’t do this.”

No. Rose was right fucking here, standing behind Leon as if he couldn’t be bothered to protect himself. The security guards started closing in around them, although Raihan was willing to bet they knew they couldn’t beat him, or Leon, in a battle. 

Rose spoke up, “Raihan, what are you trying to do? I’m sure we can simply talk to each other if you calm down.”  
  
Raihan bared his teeth. He didn’t want to fucking talk, he wanted to rip this man to shreds.

He pointed at Rose. 

“Leon is coming with me.” He said, voice low and steady. He wasn’t going to let Leon spend another minute with this bastard.

Leon stared at him, as did Rose. He raised his hand, keeping the security guards at bay. His smile was gone. The warmth in his eyes was gone. 

Rose said, “Raihan, you are causing a scene. Please calm down, or I’ll have security escort you out.”

And Raihan wanted to laugh in his face. 

“No.”

He was done trying to talk. He was going to do what he did best, and have a battle in the middle of a damn hotel if he had to. 

Even if it was against Leon. 

Rose put a hand in his pocket. 

Charizard flared its wings, as if trying to shield Leon. 

For a single second, no one moved. 

Then, just as Raihan lowered himself and snarled for Duraludon to attack Rose- and only Rose- there was a third flash of light. 

Raihan didn’t even know what hit him. 

All he knew was the fact that the room was suddenly spinning, and he heard Duraludon wail in surprise. 

“Raihan!” Leon called out. 

He was reaching for him, rushing past Charizard even as the security guards started closing in. 

What the fuck hit him?

Raihan fell to his knees, seeing the blurred mass that was Rose. Along with what looked like a Pokemon. A Bronzong?

Raihan had no time to react. His vision went black.

* * *

The gala ended early. 

Raihan, his Duraludon, and Sonia were forced to leave the building. Leon had pleaded with Rose to not call the police. 

But Leon couldn’t stop replaying the image of Raihan fainting in his mind. The memory made his skin crawl, because he knew exactly what that sensation of forced sleep felt like. 

He had instinctively braced himself, expecting that Bronzong to hit _him_ with a Hypnosis, not Raihan. 

It wasn’t fair. Raihan was always quick to act on his anger, and it was Leon’s fault he was so upset.

(He could have attacked the Bronzong if he wanted to.)

Charizard was ready, they could have done something to stop it. He had hated the idea of fighting Raihan, but knew it was better than letting him try to attack Rose. Who knew what would have happened to him then?

But it was too late to do anything now. It was well past midnight. Mum was back in her hotel room. She’d be leaving in the morning.

And Leon was home. He was laying in bed, curled up on his side.

Rose got into his side of the bed, the only light in the room coming from the lamp on his nightstand. 

“Darling, I’m so sorry Raihan spoiled our wedding night. And I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

Leon rolled over, leaned into Rose’s touch and reciprocated his kiss. He tried to give Rose the kind of heated affection he liked. 

“Please don’t be mad at him. He just wasn’t thinking straight.”

Rose snorted. “Obviously.”

He put a hand on Leon’s waist, and he let it urge him closer. 

Typically, a wedding was completed with the consummation of a marriage. Leon would lay under this man willingly, moan and cry for him even, if it meant he didn’t hurt Raihan. 

But Rose just sighed.

“He ruined what was supposed to be our night, darling. But I’d rather not think about this now.”  
  
He pressed a kiss to Leon’s forehead. 

“Goodnight, darling.”  
  
“Goodnight, Rose.”  
  
Then Leon’s husband turned off the lamp, plunging them into darkness.

But Leon didn’t sleep that night.

* * *

* * *


	16. Falling Too Fast [To Prepare For This]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to take a bit of a break from the action to give u guys some more spice. 
> 
> TW for sex that is not 100% consensual and pls don’t roast me for my mediocre porn-writing skills thanks
> 
> (Title from Whatever it Takes, Imagine Dragons)

The day after the gala, Rose paid a visit to Raihan. Apparently, he had thrown quite the fit when he woke up at the police station. He was released, of course, because there was nothing the police could charge him with. 

Raihan opened his flat’s door for Rose, and immediately looked like he was ready to tear his throat out. 

“Hello, Raihan. May I come in?”  
  
Raihan bared his teeth at him. How unsightly. 

“What are you doing here?”  
  
His eyes darted past Rose. “Where’s Leon?”

“He’s not here. He’s currently in Wyndon.” Rose smiled. “You know, don’t you?”

Oh, he loved the way Raihan’s nostrils flared and his gaze hardened. He was so easy to rile up. True though, that it was unfortunate that Leon’s friends found out about their relationship. Still, Rose wouldn’t be such a successful business man if he didn’t know how to handle setbacks. 

“Can I come in?” He asked again, “I’d like to talk to you in private, just us.”  
  
Of course, Rotom was instructed to record their conversation in case Raihan became violent. But the other didn’t need to know about that. 

Raihan didn’t move for a moment, just stared Rose down in what felt like a one sided staring contest. Then, reluctantly, he stepped aside. 

“Thank you.” Rose said.   
  
The door slammed behind him. 

“You have a ton of fucking nerve coming here.” Raihan said. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Rose replied. His scanned the area, ensuring that there were no devices that could possibly record their conversation other than his phone. Raihan’s own Rotom phone was lying on the kitchen counter. 

Raihan glared at him.

“What have you been doing to Leon?”

Rose frowned. He dropped any all forms of cordiality. Raihan knew, so it’d be best to be direct.

“Oh, honestly. If you just stayed out of our business, Leon wouldn’t be half as upset as he is now. You should have seen him last night, crying and begging me not to hurt you.”

Rose rolled his eyes. “He’s so sensitive, my husband.”

Oh, that got a nice eye twitch out of Raihan. His jaw clenched and unclenched, his fists shaking at his sides. 

“So you admit you forced him to marry you.”

 _“Forced_ him?” Rose almost laughed. “You severely misunderstand our situation, Raihan. Leon agreed to our union of his own free will.”   
  
He dared to press Raihan even further. “He did it for you, even.”

Raihan stared at him, confused now. “What are you talking about, Rose?”

Usually, getting his hands dirty like this wasn’t this much fun. Rose pulled out his phone, letting Rotom silently hover in the air.

“Let’s not stall any longer now. Simply put, I have the means to not only ruin your career, but your _life,_ Raihan. I can get you a life sentence behind bars, maybe worse, for crimes I know you didn’t commit. But I will not release this information, and I give you my word on this, so long as you stop interfering in Leon’s life.”

Rose continued. “Right now, a few of my trusted employees should be giving this same exact warning to that young lady you were with. Her name was Sonia, yes? Well, I’m effectively ending this little crusade you’re both trying to go on. And I’ll make this brief for you. The news will never believe you, the police will never believe you, and no one that matters in the government _or_ the justice system will ever believe you. So from now on, I’d like for you to stop trying to contact my husband through any and all means. Do you understand?”

It was a good thing Rose brought his Bronzong with him. 

Raihan lunged for him, teeth bared. 

And when Raihan woke up, Rose was already gone. He had left long before then, but not before forcibly resetting the Rotom in Raihan’s phone to ensure it didn’t choose to begin recording their conversation. 

Before leaving, Rose also placed a few hidden micro cameras in the nooks and crannies of Raihan’s flat. Just in case.

Scandals usually involved long lists of people to call and choice details to suppress. Raihan was Rose’s main priority, but that didn’t mean there weren't others. He sighed as he watched the news one night.

_“-apparently resulted in an altercation between Chairman Rose of the League and Gym Leader Raihan. According to sources, Champion Leon stepped in to try to prevent the incident from escalating. However, it is believed that Chairman Rose managed to subdue Raihan before-”_

“Rotom.” Rose said. 

Rotom turned the telly off. 

_“Sir? Do you need something?”_

Rose was quiet for a moment. 

“...Call Oleana for me.”

 _“Yes, Sir.”_

She answered after the first ring.   
  
_“Sir?”_   
  
“You’ve seen the news, yes?”   
  
_“Yes, Sir. Although most major news outlets, excluding the Hammerlocke Official, have not placed the blame of the incident on you.”_

“Good.”

Rose pinched the bridge of his nose. “And Oleana?”  
  
 _“Yes, Sir?”_

“Can you get a dinner reservation for two some time this weekend? Someplace nice in Wyndon.”

_“Certainly, do you have any other specifications?”_

“No. Thank you, Oleana.”

 _“Absolutely, Sir. Goodnight.”_

“Night.”

Rotom hung up. Rose leaned back in his armchair and closed his eyes.

Leon was likely still in his office. (Office being used very lightly. That room was filled more with his gaming consoles than anything else. Rose seldom ever ventured within there.)

But Leon had been terribly reclusive for the past few days, unhappy ever since the night of their wedding. When Rose mentioned that he had spoken to Raihan personally, Leon had begged to know what Rose had said to him. Though Rose couldn’t blame his husband for all his worrying.

Raihan’s little outburst had been feeding the flames of the rumor mill far more than Rose would have liked. His PR team, as well as his connections to the media outlets across Galar, were currently keeping the details of the night to a minimum. And all the people present at the time were told to keep their mouths shut, some more so than others. 

Honestly, it shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did. In all of Rose’s days, he’s run into plenty of scandals before. He wasn’t afraid of them anymore, but he did hate how they could bog down on his image. But despite all his efforts, nothing he did seemed to console Leon.

It was perhaps not the smartest move, what with the start of the League only weeks away, but Rose decided to work from home for the time being. He wished he could have given Leon a proper honeymoon, especially after all the stress Raihan put him under, but he did the closest to it. Until the start of the Gym Challenge, Leon was absolved of all his responsibilities besides his training. 

So Rose’s little husband was home a lot more often as well. But not even that seemed to cure Leon’s unhappiness. 

It was truly unfortunate. Leon was absolutely stunning, a beauty to have and to hold. Waking up to the sight of him besides Rose each day was a blessing, and he was certainly too beautiful to be this upset for so long. 

And now that they were married, and Rose would like his husband to enjoy their partnership as much as he did. 

So Rose decided he might as well finally consummate their marriage. After dinner, candles were lit and the lights were dimmed. Rose stripped Leon of his shirt, one hand coming to rest on his hip while he pressed his lips to the side of Leon’s throat. 

“Darling,” he said softly, “what’s been on your mind lately?”

Leon tilted his head to the side, giving Rose more access to the sensitive skin he loved to mark up. 

“Nothing…”

Rose chuckled, “You can’t hide your feelings from me, Leon. I know you’re thinking about something.”

His hand moved to palm the space between Leon’s legs. 

He heard Leon’s breath catch in his throat. 

“J-just- I’ve just been tired lately. Not sleeping well.”

Rose hummed. He did know a remedy for that, but he’d rather not use it. 

The rest of their clothes were shed, and Rose knew Leon well enough to know what made him moan. What made him throw his head back and keen for him. What could make his toes curl and his cock twitch.

But he couldn’t find any passion in it. Leon moaned and writhed for him just the way Rose liked, but he could tell those sounds were less than genuine.

It was frustrating. Very frustrating.

After all Rose did for him, he’d appreciate a little more receptiveness. 

He shouldn’t have, he promised himself he’d be gentle with his husband, but Rose couldn’t resist wrapping one hand around Leon’s throat. 

It was the first time he received a truly genuine sound. It was a strained gasp, Leon’s Adam’s apple bobbing as his eyes widened. One of his hands held onto Rose’s wrist out of instinct. 

He wasn’t squeezing very hard, but it was enough to have Leon focus only on him.

And Rose couldn’t deny how beautiful Leon’s eyes were when there was just a hint of fear in them.

And it was then that he decided to stop being so patient. 

The night passed with the last obligation to their marriage fulfilled. Leon slept late into the morning, which Rose allowed.

But while his husband was asleep, Rose returned to _that_ room. The room at the end of the hall, the one with a triple lock system and no windows. Oh, he hadn’t had need of that room in a few months now, what with Leon more or less behaving for him. The leather chair with the stirrups sat in the corner of the room, as if waiting for Leon to return to it. Rose ignored it, instead choosing to look through the black drawers pressed against the wall. Most of the toy and tools awaiting use hardly interested Rose, except for one that he pocketed without much thought.

But the room was not so heavily guarded because of all the naughty (and highly expensive) toys Rose kept in it. No, there were a few less than legal things he’d rather not have exposed. Among the drawers’ contents were two innocuous glass bottles. One was properly labeled, and it was a mild aphrodisiac made from the diluted pheromones of Salazzles in heat. And only the diluted version was sold legally, albeit at an extremely high price. 

The other bottle, completely unmarked, was filled with highly concentrated, almost entirely undiluted Salazzle toxins. It was designed to still be safe for use on humans, but came with far more intense results. 

Rose left the labeled bottle in the drawer. 

He returned to his bedroom, finding Leon still asleep. He was naked from the night before, the covers pooling around his slim, delicate waist. His locks of hair, mussed by still so soft and shiny, were splayed out across the pillows. Rose pressed a kiss to Leon’s forehead.

“Dearest.” He whispered.

Leon stirred, eyes fluttering open.

“Breakfast?” He asked, assuming that was why he was woken up.

Rose ignored the fact that it was nearly noon. 

“Not quite. Spread your legs for me, darling.”

Leon obeyed immediately, kicking the sheets away. He stroked himself as Rose wordlessly expected him to, eyeing the bottle in Rose’s hand curiously.

“I have something that should make things more enjoyable for you, darling. I hope you don’t mind.”

Leon didn’t answer. Rose ignored his silence.

Of course, he was not foolish enough to expose himself to such a potent aphrodisiac. He had taken a pair of latex gloves from that room as well. Rose snapped them over his hands, then slowly stirred a single finger inside the bottle. The viscous, sweet smelling fluid clung a little bit to his finger, the sight making Leon’s legs close a few inches. 

Rose was careful to set the bottle down upright. Then he forced those legs apart again. 

His free hand came to rest on Leon’s hip. With a single finger, he traced the underside of Leon’s cock, coming up to tease the head.

Leon squirmed beneath his touch, nuzzling his face against one of the pillows. They didn’t usually dedicate much time in the bedroom to Leon’s pleasure alone. 

“Rose..?”

“Yes, darling?”

“What’s…”

He trailed off, letting out a moan as Rose’s hand wrapped around his cock. Spreading that fluid further.

Rose was honestly surprised by how quickly it escalated from there. 

In one minute, Leon was writhing on the bed, desperately humping into Rose’s touch. His fists were buried in the sheets, knuckles white as his mouth hung open. He threw his head back and keened as Rose rubbed his thumb over that dripping head. 

In another moment, his whole body went still as he came onto his stomach. Rose stroked him through his orgasm, relishing the way Leon’s eyes rolled back in his head. Leon eventually relaxed, slumping against the mattress. But his cock remained stiff, the tip a deep red.

It was almost as pretty as the blush spreading across Leon’s face.

“How did that feel, darling?”

Leon swallowed, still breathing hard. 

“... so warm...b-but kinda hurts...”

Poor thing. Rose would be more than delighted to continue pleasuring his husband. 

He spread more of that fluid over his fingers, keeping Leon’s legs apart as he slid one finger down to the knuckle in his husband’s tight heat. 

Leon’s back arched off the bed from one finger alone. 

He came again with just two fingers teasing that bundle of nerves inside him.

Rose was almost surprised by how easy it was. At this rate, Leon was going to exhaust himself before the real fun.

“Darling,” Rose whispered, a smile spreading across his face. Leon’s golden eyes, hazy with lust, focused on him just as Rose slid the cock ring onto him. Leon tensed under his touch, eyes going wide. A high pitched keen resonated from deep in Leon’s throat. He seemed to be pleading with Rose, but his plan was not to torment Leon. 

Rose dipped two fingers into the bottle, flicking on the switch to the cock ring’s vibrator with his other hand. In an instant, Leon threw his head back and screamed for him. 

Rose slid his fingers past those pretty lips. Leon swallowed in surprise, body shaking as he helplessly, obediently, clumsily licked Rose’s fingers clean. 

Rose wondered what ingesting the aphrodisiac would do to a person. Or what prolonged exposure would do.

It took only minutes before he got his answer.

That was all it took before Leon was replaced by the loudest whore Rose had ever seen. “Please please please… _Rose!_ Please, I- I need-”

His chest was heaving with rapid, shallow breaths. His hips were giving these little jerks into the air, as if searching for even the slightest friction against his cock. His pupils swallowed up the gold in his eyes, dilated with lust. 

Rose reapplied the aphrodisiac to his fingers, going back to pumping Leon’s cock.

“Are you enjoying yourself, Leon?”

 _“Yes!_ T-thank you, thank y-”

Leon’s voice was cut off by a strained cry as he orgasmed, cock dripping but not quite cumming like before. But Rose was honestly more surprised his husband could even understand him at this point.

Every touch, every warm breath against his skin, every spark of pleasure seemed to be utterly overwhelming for Leon, but he acted as if he could not live without them.

Rose had never seen him so vocal and utterly lust-drunk before. 

He loved it.

Rose recoated his fingers before spreading Leon’s legs again, returning to that lovely, suffocating heat. The sensation of his fingers alone made Leon choke on a scream. 

What would an entire cock make him sound like?

“Darling,” Rose said, mostly to himself. He climbed onto the bed. He was going to find out.

It took barely any prompting at all to get Leon to sit on his lap. 

Rose never liked wearing condoms, but he still preferred to remain uninfluenced himself. 

His hands wrapped around Leon’s waist, fingers almost touching, as he brought his husband down on his cock. 

Leon threw his head back, whole body tensing as he let out another shrill moan.

But even then, Leon was eagerly lifting himself up and up until only the tip remained in his ass, before slamming himself back down to the base. 

Rose gasped, the air ripped out of his lungs. 

Leon was utterly divine, fucking himself on Rose’s cock while he himself hardly had to lift a finger. 

One of Leon’s hands tried touching his own cock, maybe to remove the cock ring, but Rose batted it away. 

It’d drive Leon mad, surely. But Rose wanted to see Leon chase after his orgasm, his satisfaction, again and again and again until the aphrodisiac wore off. Until he was exhausted.

Until he was as happy being together as Rose was.


	17. No One Will Save Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yah so my memory of in-game events in order is a little foggy so don't @ me if the events aren't 100% accurate. Other than that, please enjoy :)
> 
> (Title from Nobody, Mitski)

Leon’s body was awake before his mind was. He grinded his hips slowly against the sheets, sparks of pleasure making him gasp softly. His eyes fluttered open, taking in the greyish morning light filtering in from between the curtains. The ache between his legs wasn’t morning wood, it was from  _ that,  _ whatever Rose was using on him. 

It was like nothing Leon had ever felt before. It started with a skin-deep warmth. A sort of heat that almost made him feel good. But it spread, it made him itch for any sort of pressure against his skin. It made every single touch feel like heaven, but that gentle heat felt like burning agony when there was no touch to soothe it.    
  
Leon was absolutely certain if Rose could get him high off that stuff enough, he’d be willing to sell his very soul for even the slightest touch. 

But one of the worst things about it was how long it fucking lasted. That fluid, whatever it was, could affect him for hours, making his skin tingly and body ache even after a long shower. It was humiliating, needing constant attention like a literal animal in heat. 

Rose was essentially keeping him under house arrest, and Leon supposed it was probably a good thing. He propped himself up on his elbows. Rose was still asleep beside him. Leon dropped back down onto the bed and tried to get rid of his hard on as fast as possible. He bit his lip to keep quiet, eyes fluttering shut. 

It made sex feel so fucking good. Even sex with Rose. But it couldn’t get rid of the self-loathing he felt for himself afterward. Leon would willingly have sex whenever Rose wanted, he just wished it was without whatever the hell Rose drugged him with.

A pair of bright blue eyes flashed in his mind. 

Leon keened softly, tensing as he orgasmed. But this time, he almost wished it would have lasted longer. Just a little bit.

He sighed, the dampness in his shorts unbearably uncomfortable. 

But he probably wasn’t going to be able to fall back asleep, so Leon eased himself out of bed and got dressed. He slipped out of the bedroom and curled up on the couch downstairs with a cup of tea. 

He started scrolling through his social media apps at random, more or less waiting for Rose to wake up so he could start making breakfast. 

He paused when he saw what was trending at the top of the page on Tweeter.

_ Galar Pokemon League off to a Promising Start _

Leon tapped on the topic. 

He nearly dropped his phone. 

The opening ceremony for the League was  _ yesterday? _   


How could Leon not know?   
  
How could no one have told him? Not even Rotom?

Leon flew through the newsfeed, watching clips from the ceremony. For just one second, he could see his little brother on the pitch, wearing the uniform that Leon had been so excited to see him in. 

Leon bit his lip, clawing at his hair more than he was running his fingers through it.

He missed the ceremony. He would have personally attended if he knew. He would have seen his brother and his friend off on their journey himself if he knew.

He would have been able to see Raihan again if he knew.

But… in the morning yesterday his whole body had still been burning, aching from the night before. Rose fucked him until he was satisfied. Then Leon had made breakfast and lunch with Rose not making a single mention of the ceremony. 

He thought it was odd that Rose had been gone most of the afternoon, but he had drenched Leon’s cock in that fucking shit before he had left. So Leon could “entertain” himself while he was gone.

Leon could have personally cheered Hop on, could have  _ been _ there, if only he hadn’t spent the entire afternoon yesterday  _ fucking himself on his dildo.  _

Leon turned off his phone, bringing his knees to his chest and sobbing into the sleeves of his sweatshirt. 

He didn’t give a damn about Rotom trying to warn him about his escalating heart rate. 

Leon hated himself. 

He was too weak to protect Raihan. He was an awful brother too. 

He wasn’t good for anything other than his body. Why had he been trying all this time to believe he was worth anything more? 

A door upstairs opened and closed, but Leon didn’t care if Rose saw him crying. 

He was so tired of being himself. He was tired of being so pathetic.

* * *

Rose had no idea what had set Leon off. 

He had woken up to his Rotom buzzing, and an empty bed.    


Rose found Leon curled up like a child, crying uncontrollably. 

“Don’t touch me!” He had said, voice hoarse.

Rose wanted to be patient. He would have been understanding if Leon was willing to cooperate, but no such thing happened. So Rose resorted to using his Bronzong. 

He drew shut the curtains in the sitting room, covered Leon with a blanket, and left him there to rest. 

Rose picked up Leon’s phone. 

“Rotom.”

The Rotom in Leon’s phone opened its eyes and hovered in the air.

“What caused Leon so much distress?”

_ “It was the news, Sir… Leon was upset that he had missed the opening ceremony.” _

Rose raised a brow. That was it?

He had kept Leon home specifically to prevent the ceremony from giving him unnecessary stress (and to keep him from a certain gym leader).

But then again, Leon had given out his first ever endorsements this year. One of which was to his own little brother. Rose could understand Leon being upset, but all the hysterics just for one event?   
  
There will be plenty of chances to watch his younger brother, provided the boy had even a smidge of talent.

Rose stared down at his husband, brushing the hair from Leon’s face. Perhaps this was just the catalyst for Leon’s meltdown. Maybe there was more to it. 

“Rotom.” Rose said, holding out his hand. 

The Rotom slid into his grasp, opening its home screen for him. 

(Normally, Leon’s phone was passcode locked. But since most Rotoms in Galar were given their devices by Macro Cosmos, they tended to obey Rose as well.)

Rose scrolled through Leon’s search history and messages, finding nothing at all unusual. So what could it be then, if Leon wasn’t hiding anything?

Rose thumbed at his ring. He had gotten used to wearing it on a chain again, since their marriage was still being kept private. He toyed with the band of platinum slowly, wondering if Leon just had excess energy he needed to vent. A trip to the Wild Area would do him some good then. Or maybe Rose could arrange for Leon to see his brother. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to try.

* * *

Leon was watching when Hop and Victor had taken on Milo and both won. They looked so in sync with their Pokemon, the partners that Leon had given them. He smiled a little as he replayed the footage from Hop’s match, the taxi he and Rose were in taking them to Hulbury.

He watched the battle play out. Hop looked so happy. 

“Darling, we’re nearly there.” Rose said. 

Leon looked up and nodded. After a second of hesitation, he turned off his phone and put it away. He adjusted his snapback. They weren’t going to Hulbury on official league business. Rose was dressed in his athleisure wear, and Leon was in casual clothes as well. Only Oleana was formally dressed.

Rose had been craving seafood as of late, and there was no better place than Hulbury to get some. Leon also gave no objections, considering that Hop and Victor should be arriving in town to challenge Nessa soon. 

The cab set down with a light jostle, Leon stepping out with Rose behind him. 

“Lovely day,” Rose said.    
  
Leon tried to smile for him. 

He had been afraid that Rose would be mad at him for resorting to his Bronzong. But the subject hadn’t been broached by either of them yet, and he was hoping it’d stay that way. 

The three of them started making their way down the street, Leon half a step behind Rose. Of course, it didn’t matter what they wore or where they went, celebrities of their caliber were bound to be recognized. Leon sighed and smiled for the small crowd that had gathered to get a look at them. He waved, stopping to strike his pose and take a few photos while Rose handed out several autographs. 

Leon looked up, spotting a familiar face across the street. As Oleana shooed off the crowd, Leon made his way to Victor. 

“Victor! Wow, it’s been a little while. I saw you at the opening ceremony with Hop, were you nervous?”   
  
As Leon expected, Victor was still a boy of few words. But at least he had been having fun on his Challenge so far. 

“Is Hop with you?” Leon asked.

Victor shook his head, “He went ahead, should be challenging Nessa now.”   
  
“Oh?” 

Leon glanced toward Hulbury Stadium. If Hop was there…

“Leon.” 

Rose came up to them. He smiled at Victor, “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, I hope you don’t mind me stealing Leon, but we have a reservation for lunch.”   
  
He tilted his head to the side, just a little bit. “Actually, why don’t you join us after you challenge Nessa?”   
  
Leon glanced at Rose.    
  
“Um, Sir, my brother-”   
  
“He can join too! I don’t mind waiting.” Rose said with a chuckle. “Why don’t we head out now, Leon?”   
  
Leon’s shoulders fell slightly. He glanced toward the stadium one more time. 

“Yes, Sir.”

He shot one last smile at Victor before turning around to leave with Rose. 

Oleana stayed at the restaurant to wait for their challengers to finish their battles against Nessa. Meanwhile, Leon and Rose burned time by walking around the docks and staring out into the vast ocean beyond. Once or twice, Rose’s hand brushed against Leon’s, and it made the ring resting against his chest burn.

“Sir?”   
  
“We’re alone, Leon.”   
  
Leon swallowed and nodded. “Rose?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Can I… can I go to my brother’s next league match?”

Rose smiled. “Certainly. Family is important, after all.”

“Thank you-”   
  
“But Leon?”   
  
His smile faded a bit. “Yes?”   
  
Rose stared at him. “I don’t want this distracting you from your work.”   
  
“It won’t,” Leon said automatically. There’s only ever been one person who’s made Leon afraid of losing. “I know I can keep my title.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Rose said. He cleared his throat. “It’s coming soon, Leon. Very soon. I need you to be ready.”   
  
Oh.

Leon looked down at his feet and nodded. “Yes, Rose. I know. I’ll be ready.”

He hated the idea of that thing sleeping beneath Raihan’s feet, locked away in Rose’s power plant. But did Leon really have a choice?

He tried to rebel once, and it ended in disaster.

Leon absentmindedly rubbed at his chest when Oleana called Rose. Victor and Hop were waiting for them. 

On the way back, Leon took a few deep breaths. By the time they reached the restaurant, he had his smile back.

He had wanted to see his brother so badly, but now that it was actually happening, Leon wondered if Hop would be mad at him. Mad for not being at the opening ceremony, or mad at Leon for suddenly dropping contact for the past few months. 

They entered the restaurant, and Leon’s blood ran cold when he saw Sonia sitting at their table.

“Lee!” 

Hop knocked his chair back, sprinting across the restaurant to throw his arms around Leon’s torso.

“Lee, where have you been? Did you see me battle? I got your ball throw down pat, too.”

Leon stared, speechless, at his little brother and how happy Hop was to see him.

“Hop? You-”

_ aren’t mad at me? _

Leon smiled.   
  
“-got two badges already? I knew you could do it!”

Hop beamed at him. 

Rose cleared his throat, and the three of them sat down at the table. Leon dared to glance over at Sonia once, but she wouldn’t make eye contact with him. 

They had just made it through their appetizer when Oleana leaned down next to Rose.

“Sir, your appointment today.”   
  
“Oh, goodness, can you believe how much time has slipped by? Leon, we should be going now.” He glanced at Hop, Victor, and Sonia, “But please, eat as much as you like and consider the bill paid for.”

“What?” Hop asked, “But you just got here!”   
  
Leon tried to smile. “I know, but there are other things we need to do today, and I have some errands to run.”

Such as going to see the progress made on Eternatus. 

Leon and Rose got up from the table.

“Leon?”

He froze. Then, like nothing at all was wrong, turned back to the table. “Yeah, Sonia?”

He couldn’t make out the expression in her eyes.

She said, “Be careful running your errands, Leon. If you get lost again, Yamper and I won’t be able to help you.”

The hairs on the back of Leon’s neck stood on end, and he was very aware of Rose watching him.

He laughed and put a hand on his hip.    
  
“Don’t worry, Sonia. I know what I’m doing!”

He turned around before he could see her reaction. On the taxi ride to the Hammerlocke power plant, Rose put a hand on his thigh. He didn’t say anything, but Leon didn’t dare try to remove it.

* * *

Leon never did end up getting to watch one of his brother’s matches in person.

Rose had designed a new machine that could siphon energy more directly into Eternatus’ body, and with it came a multitude of ramifications. Namely, earthquakes and the eruption of wild pokemon spontaneously Dynamaxing across the region. 

And the duty to take care of them all fell upon his shoulders. Leon brushed off all attempts to help him. He assured trainers that he could handle the Dynamaxed Tsareena terrorizing the wild area. He battled and defeated a rampaging Grimmsnarl attacking Ballonlea before police even arrived. He even shook off Victor’s attempts to help as he took down a Dynamaxed Meowth blocking one of the major routes. 

The public only heard of select few wild attacks, such as these. But the hardest battles were the ones no one ever found out about. The ones that Leon and Charizard were most in danger in. 

It was tiring, thankless work.

“Please,” Leon said. 

His cape was in tatters. His shoes were caked with mud and the knees of his leggings were torn. He came directly from a sandstorm in the wild area and to the power plant, using hidden maintenance tunnels under the city to get here without being seen.

“Please, Rose, reconsider this.”

His whole team was being worn ragged, Leon included.

Rose turned to look at him. He frowned. “You look terrible, Leon. You should go home and enjoy a nice, long bath.”

Behind him, casting the whole room in a crimson glow, was Eternatus. It shifted in its sleep, tail undulating slowly. 

Leon hated being down here with that thing.

“This isn’t safe.”

“Of course it is, you’re here, aren’t you?” 

Leon shook his head, frustration building up in his chest and filling his lungs. 

“Rose… _ darling,”  _ Leon said, “please consider how dangerous this is. Already, wild pokemon are Dynamaxing uncontrollably across the region.”

Rose raised a brow, surprised.

“But think of it this way, Leon. This is just the side effect of Eternatus being untamed. Once it can be battled and beaten, all these terrible things will stop.”

Rose came up to Leon, caressing his face and pushing his windswept hair from his eyes. 

“I know it’s hard work now darling, but we will reap the rewards soon. I promise.”   
  
Rose pulled Leon down for a kiss, and Leon didn’t have the strength to reject his touch.

* * *

If Leon were a better brother, he would have noticed the signs sooner. He would have noticed Hop’s ebbing enthusiasm and weakening confidence long before now. He was reminded of Sonia, and how she grew so disheartened she dropped out of the Challenge before the last Gym.

He thought about how close Hop seemed to be to dropping out himself. 

How could this have gone so wrong?

Hop was supposed to have fun. He was supposed to have his taste of the world Leon had known for so long. 

(Maybe this was for the best. Maybe now he won’t even consider competing in the Championship Cup.)

Leon hated how he contemplated it. 

He watched the recording of Hop’s match against Melony again. He could see it in the way Hop threw his ball and in the way he tried to always smile. Even now, even after so many years, he was still trying to emulate Leon.

It made him feel terrible, but Leon didn’t know what to do. He tried talking to Victor once, to encourage him to be the best rival possible for Hop. Because that’s what Leon benefitted from. Raihan had propelled him forward, always encouraging him to reach higher ground. But maybe Hop was different. 

Leon sighed and turned off his phone. 

The Championship Cup, and his match, were looming over his head. Soon, in little more than a week, he was going to be facing  _ someone. _

It could be Hop. 

It could be Raihan.

It could be Victor, who had surprised Leon with how quickly he learned to battle. And how good he already was at it.

Regardless of who it was, or who he hoped it would be, Leon knew he had to defend his title at any cost. He couldn’t imagine what Rose would do otherwise.

He just had to remind himself that this would all end eventually. The championship match would come and go, and a winner would be decided. Eternatus, on the other hand, was growing more unstable in his containment sphere. Leon had no idea if the energy Rose was pumping into it would kill it, or if it would eventually awaken.

_ Please be after the Championships. _ Leon pleaded to any higher being to cared to listen.  _ Please. _

But Leon’s prayers had never been answered before, and he should have known they would not be answered now. 

* * *

It was days before his match. A Dynamaxed Gyarados was spotted in the wild area, terrorizing fishermen and swallowing schools of other Pokemon whole. 

Leon dealt with it, as he did with all the other Pokemon Rose asked him to get rid of. He had left when it was dusk to hunt down the Gyarados, and it was nearly midnight now. He returned home drenched exhausted. But Rose was waiting for him.

“Dearest, you’re finally home,” Rose said with a smile. “How did it go?”   
  
Leon wordlessly produced a Dive Ball from his pocket. Rose’s smile widened.

“Excellent.”

Then, to Leon’s surprise, Rose pulled him down onto the couch. Leon winced at the mud he was going to leave on the expensive, white fabric. Rose didn’t seem to care, though. He combed his fingers through Leon’s hair and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“I know it’s hard now darling, but what did I say? Soon, there will be nothing to worry about.”   
  
Leon leaned into Rose’s touch, resting his head against Rose’s shoulder. 

He was too weak to resist, to reject even the smallest physical warmth after he had spent hours hunting down a behemoth Gyrados in pouring rain. 

“But I have good news, darling.”

“Hm?”   
  
“At the rate we’re going at, I have a firm estimation on when Eternatus will be fully revived.”

“Oh?”

Rose nodded, eyes gleaming. “It will only take four more days.”

Leon blinked, then went still. He frowned. That couldn’t be right. He raised his head.

“Isn’t my match in four days?”

Rose laughed at him. 

“Leon, darling. We’re talking about an ancient, legendary being. We’re talking about the fate of our region’s future, for Arceus’ sake! There’s no room to be planning for silly Pokemon battles.”

Leon stared at him. “...silly..?”

Rose still regarded him strangely, with amusement in his eyes. 

“You are going to more or less be king of this region, Leon. You will help me usher in an everlasting era of prosperity. One battle means nothing in the grand scheme of things.”

But… but Hop. And Raihan. Leon’s battles were the few small joys he had left. He wasn’t allowed to choose what to wear or what to eat or how to look or what to say. He hadn’t been allowed to choose his romantic partner. He didn’t get to decide if he’d be married or not. 

There was nothing in Leon’s life that he had a say in anymore, except for this.

The apathy began melting off of Leon’s shoulders. 

He realized he wanted to defend his title not just because he had to, but because he  _ wanted _ to.

“N-no.” He said softly. 

“No, Rose, please don’t do this. Wait just one more day, for me.”

Rose raised a brow. 

“You can’t stop progress, darling.”

Leon stood up. His hands curled into fists.

“I want to hold my Championship match when it’s supposed to happen.”   
  
Rose stood as well. His smile was fading. “Darling, do not try to act like a child now. We’re on the cusp of something far greater than yourself.”   
  
Rose huffed. “I’ll even cancel your match if I have to.”   
  
Leon bit his lip and looked down at his feet.

“One day, Rose. That’s all I want. Please, I need to secure my title.”

“Oh, is that what this is all about?” Rose asked, anger ebbing from his voice.

“You’re worried over nothing, Leon. I’ll make sure everything is alright.”

Leon dared to meet his eyes. He asked, with a hint of hope, “You’ll postpone the Darkest Day?”

Rose chuckled, “Of course not. But consider the title of Champion yours for another year, Leon. If you have to go up against Raihan, I have no doubt you’ll defeat him. If it’s someone else, I can send a sizable payment their way to ensure your victory. And perhaps a few of my associates to ensure their silence.”

Leon stared at him. 

“You… you’re talking about  _ bribing _ them?”

Rose shrugged. “It’s dirty work, I know. But it’s not like I haven’t done it before. Now, let’s go to bed. It’s getting late, isn’t it?”

Rose started heading for the stairs. 

But Leon didn’t move. 

“Rose?”

He paused at the base of the staircase, “Yes, Leon?”   
  
“What did you mean by that?” Leon asked. 

Rose didn’t respond for a moment. 

_ “Rose. _ Have you ever paid off any of my opponents before?”

But his husband didn’t answer immediately. Leon felt like he couldn’t breathe. 

“Rose… you wouldn’t, right?”

And Leon’s husband conceded. Rose sighed.

“Only once or twice. Only when I was truly concerned about your chances. Oh, Leon, don’t give me that look. You don’t know how important you are to the people. You are their Champion, their shining star. No one could possibly live up to the level of admiration you garner. Now let’s go to bed.”

But Leon barely heard him. 

All he heard was the fact that he was not the greatest trainer in the region. How could he be, when his winning streak was paved with Rose’s money and unspoken threats?

Leon moved past Rose and headed to the guest bedroom to take his shower there. He ignored Rose’s request for him to use the bathroom in their own bedroom. 

Leon locked himself inside the bathroom and started running the water. He undressed himself with unfocused eyes.

How long had he been living this lie? How easily could any of his opponents have beaten him? 

Leon stepped under the stream of burning hot water.

All this time, he had thought he was unbeatable of his own merit. That he had rightfully earned his title. 

Leon took one breath, then two, then collapsed to the shower floor. He brought his knees to his chest and screamed. He was certain the water and the closed door would muffle most of the sound, but in that moment, he couldn’t have cared less if Rose heard him. 

His life was a lie. 

Leon was a hollow figurehead. He’d never been anything more.

He was not Galar’s “most eligible bachelor”. He was not their greatest trainer. 

He was not a good brother or even a good friend.

He buried his hands in his hair, raking his nails down his scalp and neck. 

He deserved the pain. He deserved to be stripped of his title. 

He didn’t deserve Hop or Raihan or Sonia. 

He was sure he heard someone pounding at the bedroom door, but Leon ignored it. He screamed as his bones ached and his skin burned and his vision was blurred by tears.

Someone as pathetic as him deserved to die. 

* * *

Eternatus was not brought up again. 

Four days later, Leon was heartbroken to know that Hop would not be going to the finals despite recovering from his previous bout of uncertainty. And at the time of the Championship Cup, Rose was nowhere to be found. But the event still required someone to host it. So Leon stepped onto the pitch. 

And he smiled for the many eyes and cameras. He recited a speech similar to the ones he had heard Rose recite before. And the finals began.

Leon retreated from the pitch just as the first battle started. He returned to the VIP lounge, which was empty save than himself. Which meant that Rose hadn’t bothered to invite any of his friends this year. 

“Rotom.”

His phone hovered in the air.

_ “Yes, Leon?” _

“Call Rose.”

Rose answered after a few rings.

“Where are you?” Leon asked. 

_ “You know where.”  _ Rose said.  _ “But I see that you haven’t given up on your petty match, Leon.” _

Leon stood by the window and watched the match progress. So far, Victor was washing Nessa away. 

He was a good trainer. Really good.

“Give me one more day,” Leon said. “Then I won’t ask you for anything ever again.”

_ “Very tempting, Leon. Very tempting indeed. But I’m already here at the power plant making the final arrangements. While you play hero for the masses, I suppose I’ll have to capture Eternatus myself. Have fun, Leon.” _

Then he hung up. Rose did not respond to any of Leon’s subsequent calls. 

Victor eventually went up against Raihan. 

And he won. 

Leon stared down at the pitch, and pressed a hand to the glass. 

He wished Raihan had won. He would have liked the chance to see him again.

But that kid was a  _ really _ good trainer.

And now, it was Leon’s turn to step onto the pitch.

_ This _ was what a Champion was meant to do. He was meant to battle. He was meant to inspire others.

Even as a false idol, Leon hoped he could at least make others happy. 

And Leon had hoped it would spark something in him. But even as he smiled for his fans and came face to face with Victor, he felt nothing. 

Leon crossed his arms. 

“Nervous?” He asked. Victor nodded.

Leon said, “I know, the tension on the pitch, it’s completely opposite from the cheering fans.”

He continued, “But remember, the audience is also cruel. They came here to see one person win, and another lose.”   
  
He knew this from years and years of experience.

“But I hope you’re ready for a champion time!” He said to Victor, voice not at all betraying how he actually felt. 

Leon had gotten good at lying.

But before their match began, the whole stadium shook. The lights flickered and the stadium was repeatedly plunged into shadows. 

When the lights came back on, Leon knew immediately what was happening. 

Rose had started an apocalypse. 

Leon and Victor shared a look. 

“Stay here, and do  _ not _ follow me.” He said. 

Then, from the center of the stadium, Leon released Charizard and climbed onto his Pokemon’s back. They lifted into the air, and Leon ignored the eyes that followed him. 

“We have to get to Hammerlocke!” He shouted. 

Charizard blew out a plume of smoke, wings beating faster as they took off. 

As they drew closer to Hammerlocke, a massive storm full of dark clouds covered the sky. The winds forced them to land outside Hammerlocke, and Leon could see smoke rising from somewhere in the city. He sprinted for the power plant beneath the stadium. 

Leon had expected the worst. He expected a destroyed power plant. But besides the hole ripped through the ceiling, the room was in almost perfect condition. Leon’s eyes landed on the pile of shattered glass that was once Eternatus’ chamber.

And Rose standing before it. 

Leon slowed to a stop a few meters from him. 

“What happened?”

Rose didn’t move.    
  
_ “Rose!” _ Leon raised his voice.  _ “What did you do?” _

Slowly, very slowly, Rose turned around. 

Leon had never seen Rose even mildly unsure of himself, but the expression on his face went beyond disbelief. It was horror. It was shame.

“...Leon.” He said, “...it didn’t work. All the failsafes… none of them worked…”

Leon’s blood froze as his stomach plummeted. But he couldn’t worry about his own fears now.

“Where is it?”

Rose’s gaze flickered to the side. “It’s above the power plant. The elevator…”   
  
He trailed off. Leon turned around, fully intending to head to the rood. 

But a hand closed around his wrist.

Rose’s eyes were wide, his grip painfully tight. 

“Don’t, Leon. It’s so much stronger than any of my calculations... If you go up there alone, it  _ will _ kill you.”

Leon felt a flash of something tear through him. But it wasn’t fear.

It was fury.

He ripped his wrist from Rose’s hold. 

“What do I have left to lose?” He asked.

Then Leon sprinted for the elevator, ignoring Rose’s fading voice. He had a whole region to protect, how could one life compare to that?

The elevator brought him to the top of the power plant. The storm was even stronger here, the sky even darker. But up here, everything was washed in a crimson light.

And Eternatus was hovering in the sky. 

It turned toward Leon, and he couldn’t tell if the thing even had eyes. Leon resisted the voice in the back of his head, screaming at him to flee as fast as possible 

It was partially his fault that this creature was awake now. If he had been stronger or smarter, braver or more determined, he could have stopped this Darkest Day before it even started.    
  
His cape whipped in the wind, and Eternatus unhinged its jaw to let out a shrill screech. Leon stood his ground, reaching for Charizard’s pokeball. 

He took a deep breath. 

Then their battle began. 

* * *

Leon was breathing hard, lungs burning from the smoke that drifted through the air. 

His team was worn ragged, the only standing member left being Charizard. Leon had burned through all his potions and revives. And Eternatus had shattered all of his Ultra and Great Balls. 

Leon had honestly expected to die on this roof. But Eternatus was actually close to being beaten. 

So close… all Leon had to do was weaken it a little more, and he might live to see tomorrow. But Leon almost wasn’t sure if he even wanted that. He’d have to return to a life of being Rose’s whore, his housemaid, and his Champion. 

He’d never be able to talk to Raihan or Sonia freely again. But maybe, if he could find a way for this thing to destroy him at the same time he beat it...

Leon used the last of his strength to shout to Charizard, commanding it to continue fighting. Maybe it would be nice to die a hero. At least no one would know how weak he really was.

What Leon didn’t expect at all was to hear a familiar voice shouting his name. 

He turned while reaching into his pocket for his last spare pokeball. It was Victor and Hop running towards him.

Leon’s heart jumped into his throat. Why were they here? Why now? 

“Stay back!” He shouted, eyes wide.

How the hell did they even get here? 

And how could Leon possibly let himself die with Hop in view?   


He clenched his jaw, one last surge of adrenaline pulsing through his veins. 

He turned back to Eternatus, not daring to take his eyes off it for too long. 

But Hop was still watching him.

Leon had to live now, whether he wanted to or not. 

So he threw his Pokeball.

He watched as Eternatus disappeared in a burst of white light. He watched the ball rattle and fall to the ground.

It shook once.

It shook twice.

It only took a fraction of a second for the hairs on the back of Leon’s neck to stand on end.

He looked to Charizard, and it moved without him even having to say a word. 

It dove to shield Hop and Victor from the shockwave that burst from the Pokeball. 

Leon was knocked off his feet. He collided with the roof’s railing, or some chunk of debris. His vision went black for a moment as the air was ripped from his lungs. 

He fell to the ground, numb, unable to move.

There was a high pitched ringing in his ears. He opened his eyes, finding his vision marred by black dots and tinged with red. 

He saw Hop and Victor’s blurry outlines, and something massive hovering in the sky. 

Eternatus was still free.

Leon watched as the clouds grew even darker. 

He had failed, but his brother was still here. He was still in danger.

_ Run. _ Leon wanted to say.  _ Leave me and go.  _

_ Let me die here. _

But he couldn’t get his lungs or voice to work. Instead, Leon’s vision went black for good.


	18. How Lucky We Are (To Be Alive Right Now)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🐉❤️🌼
> 
> (Title from Hamilton.)
> 
> TW for hospital themes at the start of the chapter

Leon woke up to the sound of blaring sirens. He hissed from the bright lights and the loud sounds and the feeling of his whole body jostling.

There were voices all around him, too.

Leon opened one eye, spotting two people on either side of him. He saw the flashing lights of either a police car, or an ambulance. Someone was talking to him, maybe. Someone else was shining a light in his eye.

But Leon wished they’d all leave him alone. His body felt so heavy, and his head hurt. Maybe he fell asleep, because he couldn’t remember what happened after that.

* * *

Leon woke up slowly. Very slowly. 

He understood that he was alive without actually realizing it. And  _ that _ meant that he hadn’t died. And he could tell he was somewhere strange even before opening his eyes. The room smelled too sterile to be home, the light filtering through his eyelids just slightly too bright. There was a strange ringing in his ears too, and his head felt oddly heavy. Not necessarily like he was in pain, but he knew there was something off with himself.

Leon inhaled slowly, too tired to open his eyes. 

He heard something nearby moving. A hand squeezed his arm.

“Lee?”

The corner of Leon’s mouth twitched in a frown. He opened his eyes slowly, the pain in his head intensifying from the bright lights. But there was a face looking down at him. 

_ Hop? _

Leon’s mouth was so dry, his tongue felt like cotton. 

_ What are you doing here?  _ He wanted to ask. 

Why was it so hard for him to talk? 

Hop smiled at him, pushing the messy, uncombed hair from his face. 

“Lee!” He said again. “Thank Arceus! But hang on, Mum should be back soon. Oh, she’s gonna freak out when she sees you woke up without her…”

Mum? 

Leon frowned and let his eyes drift around the room. He was in a hospital room. Why was he in a hospital room? 

Leon tried to think, but there was a vague pulsing ache at the back of his head that kept any of his thoughts from clarifying. The door opened a few moments later, Mum standing in the doorway with a water bottle and styrofoam box in her hands.    
  
She stared at Leon, then immediately began crying. She rushed to his side, setting down the box to press a kiss to Leon’s cheek.

“Oh, my baby, my baby boy…” Leon heard her say.

“How do you feel?” She asked. “Does anything hurt?”   


Leon frowned, and swallowed. He was fine, wasn’t he?

“Mum?” He asked. His voice sounded small and hoarse even to himself. 

Why was she here? Why were they both here?

Why did Rose let them be here?

But in the next few moments, Leon became surrounded by a flurry of movements. Doctors and nurses arrived, shining lights in his eyes and asking him too many questions to keep track of. Hop began furiously texting on his phone. 

One of the nurses dimmed the lights for him, which took most of the strain off his eyes. Leon was told he had lacerations (stitched and bandaged), a mild concussion (under watch), and apparently symptoms from experiencing a flashbang (ie. impaired vision and memory).

But in all that time, he still didn’t see Rose. Leon almost felt like he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t rest without knowing where that man was.   


It felt like not that much time later before the door opened again. 

It was Victor and Raihan. 

Leon inhaled sharply, locking eyes with Raihan. If he was here, then Rose…

Leon recalled his Championship match, and then the power at the stadium going out. He remembered flying to Hammerlocke.

He remembered Eternatus. He remembered the shockwave and bright light that came from that beast erupting from its pokeball. He jerked upright in his bed, the sudden movement making his vision spiral and his head pound. 

“Leon!” Mum said, pressing a hand to his shoulder to urge him back down. 

“Rai-” Leon said.

He squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them, vision still not quite focused. 

“Hey, I’m here,” He heard Raihan’s voice. “I’m here.”

Leon felt a hand squeeze his own. Raihan’s face appeared in his field of vision. He smiled down at Leon.    
  
“Hey, Champ.” He said. 

Leon’s heart lurched, warmth spreading through his chest. He weakly squeezed Raihan’s hand back. 

“Rai?”

“Yeah?”

Leon wondered if there was something else he was forgetting.

“Why-”

_ Why are you here? _

“-what happened?”

Silence. Leon frowned.

“...Where’s Rose?”   
  
Raihan’s smile faded.

“Don’t worry about him, Leon. Just rest.” 

Leon opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say. How could he  _ not _ worry about Rose? How could he not care about where that man was, or what he was doing?

Rose was why he was here, in a hospital.

“Rai?” Leon asked. 

Raihan shared a look with his mother. 

“Mum?” Leon asked. Why was no one talking to him?   
  
“He’s been arrested.” Hop said. 

All eyes fell on him. Victor elbowed him. But Hop was only looking at Leon.

“You’re safe now, Lee. He can’t hurt you.”

… What?

Leon tried to think, now believing that there was definitely something missing from his memories. 

“What are you talking about?”   


Mum made a sound, and Leon noticed how much she was trying not to cry. She smiled for him.

“It’s alright, Leon. Please don’t worry about it.”

Leon felt like the room was starting to spin again.

But then, he realized something. 

His neck was bare. His ring was gone.    
  
Which meant that someone had to have taken his ring off. Which meant that someone found his necklace under his shirt.    


Which meant someone could have found out Leon was married. 

His squeezed Raihan’s hand tighter.

“Where is he?”   
  
“Leon-” Mum started.

“What happened? Where’s Rose? Where’s- where is that _ thing?” _   
  
This time, most of the attention in the room fell onto Victor. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an Ultra Ball. 

Leon’s eyes widened. “Is that…”

He could have laughed if he had the strength to. 

Of course, the great Champion would fall flat. Of course, a child would have to clean up after his mistakes.

Victor put it away.

“It’s over now,” Hop said. “The Darkest Day was stopped. Everyone’s safe. You can relax, Lee.”

Leon frowned, the dread beginning to rapidly build in his chest, suffocating him. Who else knew? Who else knew how weak he was?

Leon blinked, eyes burning.

“Please, someone just talk to me.”    


He blinked away a tear. “What happened?”   


Mum sighed softly and sat down next to Leon’s bed. Hop and Victor were sent from the room. 

Mum explained that it had been a little over twenty four hours since the Darkest Day. Leon had woken up intermittently over the past day, but not for very long each time. While Mum was talking, Leon’s hand instinctively raised to run his fingers over the bandages wrapped around his head. 

Raihan told him that Rose had been arrested. That the authorities strongly suspected that he was the cause of, if not at least involved in, the Darkest Day.

But that was only the start of it.

A lot of Rose’s secrets had surfaced in the past day. Intricate blackmailing systems, illegal drug development, but worst of all, _ their marriage. _

Leon stared at his Mum and Raihan, eyes blown wide. His throat was burning now, and it felt like he couldn’t breathe.

“I-I’m sorry.” 

His voice was barely more than an hoarse whisper. He never wanted either of them to know. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...”   


_ I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough. _

But then Mum cupped his face in both hands and pressed a kiss to his forehead. She wiped away his tears. 

“It’s alright, Leon… it’s alright-”   
  
“But...”

Leon made the mistake of glancing over at Raihan. His words died in his throat.

Raihan was staring at him, but his gaze was unreadable. 

He didn’t look angry or disgusted. Just upset. 

“I imagine the police will want to talk to you.” Mum eventually said.

Leon’s head was still sluggish and heavy, his mind reeling. But he at least understood that getting involved might include speaking up against Rose. It meant revealing all the things Rose had done to him. Showing the world his greatest shame. Leon knew he threatened to go public with their relationship once before, but the idea that it was inevitable now felt like a terrible nightmare. 

Worse, he knew Rose would never be completely beaten. He’ll squirm his way out of whatever prison sentence he could be given, or serve less time than he should. He’ll use his position and his contacts to garner sympathy and protection. And he’ll most certainly get revenge on every single person who acted against him. 

He was still able to completely destroy the lives of everyone Leon knew, unless he stopped Rose now. They were husbands, after all. Leon knew Rose better than nearly anyone else. And Leon also had proof of Rose’s manipulative actions. He could protect the people he cared about, and the region, if he forced himself to stand up against Rose. 

Maybe he could find a way to redeem himself. A good Champion was supposed to be selfless. Leon could survive slander and public scrutiny. He could survive the people that would undoubtedly side with Rose over him. What happened to him wasn’t supposed to matter. If he was so prepared to die battling Eternatus, why was he so scared now?

But Leon still wished Raihan would say something. Maybe try to talk him out of working with authorities. Maybe tell him there was something else he could do, but Raihan did no such thing.    
  
It was as if he and Mum were waiting for his decision. 

Leon could protect them both, if he just stopped being so scared. 

He sighed and looked to his mother. He nodded. 

“I know what I want to do.”

* * *

The next few months were strange. Looking back on them, it felt like the time went by so quickly. But almost immediately after leaving the hospital, Leon’s life was swallowed by a storm of politics, law, and rumors. 

His Championship match was being postponed indefinitely, partly because of his injuries and partly because Chairman Rose had been arrested. But in the immediate aftermath of his battle with Eternatus, Leon began to rest at home. The penthouse felt so strange, so haunting, without Rose in it, and Leon originally wanted to stay there by himself. 

Medically speaking, it wasn’t practical. So Leon had to allow his mother to see where he lived, in one of the most luxurious penthouses in Wyndon. 

The first thing he did when he got home was to make sure the room to  _ that _ door was locked. But Mum ignored the opulence, the marble floors and the tall glass windows with the massive balconies. She took care of him, watched after him to make sure his symptoms didn’t worsen, and didn’t say a word about the penthouse at all.

Leon was kept from the news for the first few days of his recovery. No social media, and no watching the telly. But he was not surprised to hear that the news of Rose’s involvement with the Darkest Day spread far and fast. News spread even faster when it was revealed that Leon would be testifying against him. 

As the days went by and Leon was well enough to go out in public, he was mobbed by hungry reporters and paparazzi wherever he went. But now, his family was being pulled into the spotlight as well. People clamored for his mother’s attention, demanding to know how long she’d known Leon and Rose were married, if she approved of it, and what she thought now. 

But Mum and Hop weren’t as used to all the attention as he was. He could see the way Mum would freeze from all the eyes on her. Hop was staying at Postwick, spending most of his nights with Victor, but he told Leon about the reporters that were swarming home too. 

They didn’t deserve all that extra stress, though. Not for the sake of someone like Leon. He believed he could handle himself, so one night, Leon tried to convince his family to leave Galar for a while. To stay with their relatives in Unova until the storm had calmed. 

And they refused. Becuase if Leon was going to stay and face Rose, his mother and brother were going to stay by his side too. 

“But… but why not? Wouldn’t you be happier?” Leon asked. 

Hop stared at him through the screen of his laptop, shaking his head. 

_ “No way! We can’t just leave you.” _

“But-”

Mum stood up from her chair next to Leon’s. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head. 

“Leon, we are not leaving. Do you know how terrible I’d feel if I abandoned you?”

Leon’s eyes widened. “But I-“

“Shush.” She said, taking his face into her hands. And her touch was nothing like Rose’s. Leon wanted so badly to lean into her touch.

“For as long as you need us, we’re staying.”

Almost immediately, Leon’s eyes started watering. In front of his little brother, in front of his mother, Leon broke down and began crying.

Thank you, he wanted to say. Because he had no idea how much they cared about him. Because he had no idea how relieved he’d be. Mum wrapped him in her arms, and let him cry.i

It was a long, messy process from there, but Leon was beyond grateful to have his family with him.

And with Leon’s word, it became more and more apparent how deeply involved Rose was in a variety of illegal activities. But Leon didn’t care about the press questioning him or people turning on him to side with the Chairman. What he was most scared of was seeing Rose in person again.

He had looked surprised when Leon testified against him. 

He had looked angry and upset as well, but not like how he usually did. It wasn’t the simmering fury beneath a charming smile whenever Leon made a mistake. It was the closest thing to heartbreak Leon had ever seen in his eyes.

Maybe it was because at the same time, Leon was filing for a divorce. (The divorce wasn’t even Leon’s idea. It didn’t even occur to him that he could separate himself from a man like Rose until his legal team broached the subject.)

Their marriage, and their divorce, were the most talked about events for months. Wherever Leon went, he usually received either one of two reactions. Some people wrinkled their noses at him. As if disgusted that their beloved Champion was weak enough to be taken advantage of. Leon didn’t mind those looks, though. Not nearly as much as his mother did. 

But there were others who gave Leon looks of sympathy. And once or twice, complete strangers on the street came up to him to thank him for his bravery. 

He had no idea if what he was doing was considered brave. He had been weak and afraid for so long, he only began being brave when he felt like his life was at its end. But these people saw something in him that was still worthwhile. They still admired him.

It almost made the whole ordeal worth it.

Because Leon had lost so much sleep in those few months. And his concussion didn’t help with matters at first. Leon was plagued by nightmares of Rose unleashing hell upon the region, or even worse, walking away from all the accusations against him with hardly a spot on his record. And maybe if Leon didn’t speak up against him, Rose would have survived the ordeal unscathed. 

But from his nightmares came paranoia. In those months, Leon stopped leaving his home as often. As soon as he was well enough to take care of himself, he convinced Mum to go back home. After all, she had to take care of Hop. But he started going out as little as possible. Started looking over his shoulder every minute when he did have to. Started quadruple checking the windows and door at night to make sure they were locked. And at least when he started living alone, Leon could scream himself awake without scaring Mum.

But his nightmares and paranoia were more than enough motivation to stay involved in Rose’s trail. Leon had to do this to protect everyone he knew. Some sleepless nights and bad dreams were worth it.

After two weeks of near-complete isolation, Leon got a text from Raihan. He was outside Leon’s penthouse and wanted to be let in. 

Leon’s heart beat so fast, he almost couldn’t feel it moving at all as he opened the door for Raihan. 

“Hey,” Rai said. As if nothing was wrong. There were two large paper bags in his arms. “Got some fresh food.”

Leon would have rejected it. He stopped trusting anything he didn’t make himself, but he let Raihan cook for him. And he had dinner that didn’t involve prepackaged food for the first time in weeks. 

If he cried softly as he scarfed down Raihan’s warm, home-cooked curry, the other didn’t mention it.

Raihan started checking in on him almost daily, sometimes spending the night with Leon. He never asked Leon about his past with Rose. Never pressed for more details than were absolutely necessary. And he accompanied Leon everywhere. To court, to shops, to train stations and anywhere else Leon went. The combined efforts of Raihan, Charizard, and Duraludon kept the press from getting too close, and Raihan personally snarled at anyone who tried to degrade Leon in public. 

Sometimes, especially when Raihan stayed for the night, Leon wondered what the other was getting out of this arrangement. He had tried so many times to get Raihan to go home. To live his life and not worry about Leon’s problems. 

“But then you’d be all alone.” Raihan said one night. They were eating dinner together.

“I have my team with me.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“But…”

Leon trailed off. 

“I‘ll be fine.” He said instead. As he ate food that Raihan cooked after Rai went to the grocery store by himself because Leon  _ was too fucking scared to leave his house.  _

Leon was particularly ashamed of himself for that. He should have been stronger than this. He should have stopped being so damned dependent on others long before now. It was just making Raihan’s life harder. 

“Leon?”

He looked up. Raihan’s gaze felt like it was punching a hole through his chest.

“If I didn’t want to be here, then I wouldn’t be.”

Leon stared at him.

“Are… are you sure?” He asked. 

Raihan nodded. “There’s no where else I’d rather be, Leon.” 

And he left it at that, but the words echoed in Leon’s head for the rest of the evening. And that night, Leon slept better than he had in weeks.

Eventually, when it became clear to Rose that he was not escaping the law for once in his life, he did something odd. He released what was essentially a will, abdicating much of his fortune and all his positions of power. 

And he gave it all to Leon. 

Almost overnight, Leon had been given a fortune of several billion. Rose Tower was his now, too. But strangest of all, he had been officially named Chairman of the Pokemon League. 

He certainly didn’t believe it when he received the news from Rose’s representative.

The public erupted into a whirlwind of gossip, confusion, and surprise. Many, Leon’s family and friends included, assumed that it was a last ditch effort to save face. To convince people that Rose was not the monster he was slowly being revealed as. That he could be kind and make apologies. 

But Leon knew better than anyone else what this meant. When he received the news, he wasn’t sure if he had been more disgusted or confused. If his pity outweighed his disbelief. 

If Rose was angry with him, Leon assumed he would have been dead by now. Killed in an unfortunate accident.

But _ this? _

Rose wouldn’t surrender his power unless he had to. Unless the point he was trying to make was more important than his life’s work.

In some way, in some awful way, Rose really did love him. 

But Leon didn’t belong to him anymore. 

He started making plans to give away as much of his fortune as possible to charity. He was going to dismantle Macro Cosmos and destroy the rotten bits that clung to it. And as soon as he found a worthy successor, Leon was going to give up his seat as Chairman. 

He wasn’t going to accept anything Rose gave him ever again.

And after months of stress and recovery and sleepless nights, two things happened. 

One, Leon and Rose were officially divorced. 

And two, Rose was going to go to jail for the rest of his life. (Not that Leon believed he’d serve his full term. Rose still had billions of his own money and one of the finest legal teams in the region.)

But the entirety of Galar seemed to cheer for Leon. 

He was free. And with the removal of the chip in his upper arm, Leon officially belonged to no one but himself.

* * *

The next day, Leon stared at himself in the locker room mirror. He was back in his champion’s uniform, cape weighing down on his shoulders. There was a faint scar on his temple that faded into his hairline, the only visible remnant of the Darkest Day.

_ (Besides the dark bags under his eyes and the undeniable fact that he had lost a noticeable amount of weight from stress.) _

He tried to smile, to mimic the cheerful look he had worn so easily before. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t make it look authentic anymore. So Leon dropped his smile and sighed. By the end of this match, the most worthy trainer in the region was going to be crowned Champion.

Leon, Champion of Galar, Chairman of the League, and head of Rose Tower, left the locker room and stepped onto the pitch.

The crowd roared to life for him. Screamed for him and welcomed him back after months of postponing this battle. As if they still loved him and admired him.

He came to a stop when he was face to face with Victor.

“Ready?” He asked. No bravado, just him and his opponent.

Victor nodded. 

Then they took their places on the field. 

Leon’s heart began beating faster in his chest, but it was different from all the other battles he had before. As he released his Aegislash, Leon tried to pour his heart into the match just like all the years before. But truthfully, he couldn’t have cared less who won or lost. He just wanted to see this obligation to its completion.

Today, Galar was going to be given the Champion it deserved. 

But the battle was unlike any that Leon had ever felt before. 

Mainly because he began losing. And it was an electrifying experience. It didn’t feel at all like the rare occasions where the odds were against Leon. He loved the sensation of battling such a strong opponent. Someone who was worthy of taking his crown.

He wished it was against Raihan, but Leon was proud of the trainer Victor had grown into. 

He Gigantamaxed Charizard at the same time Victor Dynamaxed his own Pokemon. But under the darkening sky of the stadium, a bright light above him caught Leon’s attention. 

The lights in the VIP booth behind Victor were on. There was only one person inside, as far as he could tell. 

Leon felt his stomach plummet. Despite not being logical, he immediately thought it was Rose. But it couldn’t be, right?

The sounds and colors washed away from the world as Leon was brought back to the day of the Incident. 

But before the window was obscured by Victor’s pokemon, Leon managed to get a better look at the person in the booth. 

It was Raihan. 

And just like that, the world snapped back into focus. The adrenaline came flooding back to him. All the colors and sights and sounds returned to Leon, and he smiled as he shouted for Charizard to attack. 

He had missed the heat of Charizard’s flames on his face. He had missed the sensation of enjoying a good battle.

Eventually, however, it came to an end when Charizard fainted, but Victor’s Pokemon was still standing. 

Leon couldn’t fight the instinctual fear that immediately gripped his entire body. He lowered his face and covered his eyes with his cap. 

But then he remembered, Rose wasn’t here. 

And then he smiled. 

Leon threw his snapback into the air as he fell to his knees. He ran a hand through his hair, laughing at the cameras zoomed in on his face. 

If it was any other match, he would have been horrified. 

But right now, all he felt was relief. 

Leon opened his eyes and stood up. He waved to the crowd one last time. 

“My time as Champion is over, but what a Champion time it has been!” 

He smiled at Victor, raising the new Champion’s arm into the air.

“People of Galar, meet your new Champion!”

The crowds cheered, fireworks burst to live above them, and Leon continued to smile. 

And in that moment, he had never felt lighter. 

* * *

While the region celebrated as loudly as possible, Leon spent his first night free from being Champion at home. In Postwick.

As usual, Raihan accompanied him. He and Sonia enveloped Leon in a group hug. It felt so strange, considering he lost, but Leon couldn’t resist smiling as he leaned his head against Raihan’s chest. It reminded him of when he first became champion. They were so proud of him then too. 

Mum popped open a bottle of champagne like it was New Years, but Leon just wanted a moment to himself. He slipped out the black door, patting his jacket pocket. He made his way for the path next to his childhood home when the door opened again.

“And where are you going?” A voice asked. 

Leon turned. Raihan closed the door behind him, hands stuffed in his hoodie pockets.

“I’m going for a walk.”

Raihan raised a brow. “At night? You’ll get lost even faster than usual.”

Leon exhaled through his nose before continuing on his way.

“I’ll be fine.” He said. He wasn’t going far. 

But then he heard footsteps, and Raihan fell into step besides him. 

“Rai, I’m fine.” Leon said. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

“But I’ll never stop worrying about you, though.” Raihan said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Leon frowned, lowering his eyes to stare down at his feet. 

“Oh.”

Was he really that hopeless? Was there anything he could do that would make Raihan happy?

They were both quiet for a second.

“Leon,” Raihan eventually said, “I’ll never stop worrying because I’ll always care about you.”

Leon’s brows furrowed. “What?”

Raihan shrugged. 

“You’re my best friend. And I don’t care about any damn title you might have. You’ll always be my only rival.”

Leon felt his face grow warm. “Rai…”

“I’ll always care about you, Leon.” Raihan repeated. “No matter what.”

Leon inhaled sharply. He dared to glance up at Raihan, but found the other staring intently at him.

“But I’m not Champion. I’m- I-”

_ (I don’t matter anymore.) _

“I’m not important anymore.”

Raihan laughed. “You’re Chairman  _ and _ the owner of Rose Tower, aren’t you?”

“But I’m not in charge of Macro Cosmos anymore. And I’m giving up being Chairman as soon as possible.”

Leon bit his lip, debating with himself before deciding to be honest with Raihan. He had put up with Leon for so long, he deserved to know.

“Rai, I’m so sorry… but I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the League. I’ll stay for as long as I have to, but as soon as I find someone to be Chairman, I’m leaving for good.”

Leon just couldn’t stay any longer. He loved some parts of it, certainly, but the League involved too many memories with Rose.

“Oh.” Raihan said.

Leon nodded, tears gathering in his eyes. “I’m sorry if I-“

“Leon?” 

He paused, staring at Raihan.

“Y-yeah?”

Raihan tilted his head at him. “Don’t apologize, not to me. If this is what you want, then don’t be sorry for it. It’s already amazing to me that you’ve stayed for as long as you have.”

Leon’s throat tightened. He quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

“Rai…”

He thought Raihan would be furious when he heard the news. 

Leon stared up, blinking away his tears. But then he noticed something else. In Wyndon, it was impossible to see the stars. But in Postwick, the sky was full with them. 

He hadn’t realized how much he missed the sight of them.

He and Raihan continued down the path until they came upon the water. The path to one side gave way to a steep, rocky slope until it reached the ocean below them. This was what Leon was out here for. He pulled a wadded up tissue from his jacket pocket. Wrapped inside it was his wedding ring.

“You kept that?” Rai asked. 

Leon nodded. He stared down at it, turning it over in his hands. 

“I could have sold it, but then it might’ve gone to someone else. And I never want this ring to be worn by someone ever again.”

Raihan’s eyes widened. “Oh.”   
  
Leon nodded. “Yeah.”   
  
And with that, he turned toward the water. He hesitated for just one second before steeling himself. Then he threw the ring as far as possible. 

He watched it sink into the waves, becoming lost forever. 

He exhaled softly. For a moment, the only sounds around them were the breeze and the lap of the waves.

Then Raihan said, “Good riddance.”

It made Leon burst out laughing.

He leaned against the wooden path railing, covering his mouth with his hand. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the tears slipping down his face. 

“Leon?” 

He kept crying, but Leon couldn’t stop smiling. It was cold out, but Leon only felt this strange warmth spread through his whole body.

How long had he been Rose’s Champion? His toy? His whore?

How much had he gone through, and how long ago had Leon given up all hope of escaping that man’s iron grip?

But here he was. 

Leon fell to his knees and looked up at the stars. 

He said, “It’s actually over.”

Raihan knelt down next to him, pulling Leon into a hug.

“It is, Leon. It’s over.”

Leon buried his face in Raihan’s hoodie, holding onto him as tightly as possible. What did he do to deserve this? To be given such a happy ending?

Leon took a few deep breaths to steady himself.

“Rai?” 

“Yeah?”

Leon pulled away, wiping his eyes again. He smiled softly.

“I-I love you.”

Raihan’s eyes widened. Then he laughed, eyes almost glowing in the moonlight. He said, “You’re so damn amazing, you know that?”

Then he pressed his forehead to Leon’s.

He asked softly, “Can I kiss you?”   
  
_ “Yes.” _

And Leon’s eyes fluttered closed as their lips met.

Raihan wrapped his arms around Leon’s waist, holding him close. He was so warm, and his fangs nipped at Leon’s bottom lip the way he dreamed they would when he was younger.

But at that moment, Leon knew he wasn’t dreaming. This had to be real, because not even his worst nightmare would be cruel enough to fabricate something like this. 

When they pulled away, Raihan laughed softly. “I love you too, by the way. Been in love since I was just a dumb twelve year old.”

Leon’s breath caught in his throat as a fresh wave of tears fell down his face.

Yeah, there was no way he could be imagining this.


	19. True Kind Of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so self-indulgent but it's ok because I wrote it for _~ME~_
> 
> (Title from Steven Universe)

Leon was moving out of the penthouse. He was selling all the ridiculous, opulent decorations (such as the grand piano in the sitting room for no reason) and putting all of Rose’s personal belongings, like his clothes, into storage. He had wanted to do this for so long. Leon was beyond ready to move into a modest flat somewhere else in the city, but far enough away from this place that used to be his cage.

Nearly everything was packed away or sold already, with the exception of one room. 

He stood outside the door to  _ that _ room, a keyring in one hand and several black garbage bags in the other. He had found the keys in Rose’s office a few days ago, and some of them should work on the door’s multiple locks. 

He was at the point where he couldn’t put this off any longer. But he knew what was on the other side, though. Why was he so scared?

_ “Leon?”  _ He heard Raihan call out. Leon heard footsteps, then Raihan appeared down the hall.    
  
“Hey, all the kitchen stuff is packed.” 

He came to a stop next to Leon, eyes on the door. “Is this… is this the room?”   
  
Leon nodded.

“I’ll take care of it.”   
  
Raihan frowned at him. “Are you sure? I can just call a crew to get rid of everything.”

“No,” Leon said quickly. He’d be mortified if anyone else saw the inside of this room.

“I’ll take care of it.” He repeated. 

But Raihan didn’t look fully convinced. “Do you want me to stay?”   


Leon thought about it for a second. 

“No… if you don’t mind.”   
  
“I don’t.”

Raihan pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Leon nodded, waiting until Raihan had disappeared around the corner before turning back to the door. It took a minute, but he figured out which keys fit which locks. Leon took a deep breath, then pushed the door open. 

He turned on the lights and immediately resisted the urge to back away. It felt so obscene to even just exist in this room.

In the corner of the room was the chair Rose was fond of. And all of Rose’s toys were here. All of them used on Leon in some capacity.

But all of it was going to be trashed. Leon was going to make certain nothing in this room was going to see the light of day again. But first, he had to get rid of everything small enough to fit in a garbage bag. 

So Leon tightened his ponytail and got to work.

* * *

Leon smiled as he stood in the threshold of his new home. There was plenty of space in his new flat for his team to roam, but it was nowhere near as large as Rose’s penthouse. The place was currently empty and barren, save for the furniture Leon kept and the cardboard packing boxes sitting inside. 

“Ready?” Raihan asked.

Leon nodded. 

He stepped inside his new home. And he was honestly so thankful he had Raihan to help him unpack, because Leon couldn’t fathom how long it’d take by himself. A part of him still regretted not moving in with Raihan when he first offered, but Leon’s new job was still in Wyndon (and not commuting meant fewer opportunities to get lost on the way). 

But after a full day of unpacking and haphazardly trying to arrange all his possessions, Raihan ordered pizza (with a side salad for Leon) for dinner. They sat on Leon’s couch, feet aching from standing all day.    


Although, Raihan’s pizza looked a lot more filling than Leon’s dinner. And Raihan noticed him staring.

“Think you can handle a bite or two?”   
  
Leon nodded. “It’s sugar I can’t have, but…”   
  
Raihan held his pizza slice out, and Leon took a bite. The last time he ate pizza, he threw up. But Leon had forgotten how warm and chewy and fucking delicious it could be. 

“You want your own slice?” Raihan asked.    
  
Leon nodded, but Raihan got up before he could. He returned to the couch with a plate and a fresh slice for Leon.

“Eat slow,” He said.

“I know.”   


But if Raihan wasn't watching him, Leon probably would have scarfed down the entire thing in seconds. 

No more Rose meant no more dieticians and personal trainers. And none of that meant that Leon wasn’t confined to the strict diet he had spent years living off of. But even with Rose gone, Leon couldn’t instantly begin eating what he wanted. His body wasn’t used to a lot of sugar, and he still got nauseous if he ate too much. But he was working on that too. 

A different dietician with a different plan was going to help get him to a healthy weight. Leon wished he could have had more though, but he was probably at his limit already. 

Raihan threw one arm over the back of the couch, and Leon leaned against his side. 

“You’ll be able to eat more soon.” Raihan said, as if sensing his frustration.

“I know.” Leon said. 

He stared out the window, where a light rain was starting to fall. 

“Ready for next week?” Raihan asked. 

Leon leaned his head back and laughed softly. 

“I can’t wait, actually.”

Almost two months had passed since that one night when Leon threw his ring into the ocean. And the Battle Tower was almost ready to launch.

It was easier than Leon expected to convert Rose Tower into something of his own creation. Even though he did technically own the building now, Leon still sometimes had a hard time wrapping his mind around it. 

For the first time in his life, he had something that was completely and utterly his. 

“You decided on your uniform, yet?” Raihan asked. 

Leon was silent, eyes fixed on the rain falling outside.

_ “Leon,”  _ Raihan said, teasing, “you know you only have a week left.”

“I know,” Leon said, pouting. “But I just can’t decide.”   
  
He didn’t like any of the uniform choices that were offered to him. They looked too much like League uniforms, or came with gaudy accessories like capes that reminded Leon a little too much of Rose. 

“Well, you’re going to have to choose something to wear, unless you want to be at the grand opening in your sweatpants.”

Leon glanced down at himself. He had showered and changed clothes earlier. But he thought that his pajama pants, bright green with chibi dragons on them, would have made a bold statement at the formal opening.

“Why, you don’t like them?” He asked, giving Raihan his biggest Yamper eyes.

It made Raihan snort. 

“I  _ love _ them, actually, but I’m pretty sure you should wear something else.”   


He smirked, showing off just a bit of his fangs. “Since you manage the Tower now, how about some stuffy formal clothes? I’m sure people would love it.”   
  
Leon thought about it.   
  
“You mean like old historical Galarian clothes?”   


Raihan blinked. “Babe- I was kidding.”   
  
“Oh.” Leon said, looking down at his hands.    
  
Raihan hummed softly. “Though I bet you’d look hot as hell in a tailcoat.”

“Do you really mean it?”

Leon glanced up, becoming flustered from Raihan’s gaze. 

Raihan chuckled. “Babe, I fucking  _ love _ period clothing. Plus, you’d look good in anything.”   
  
Leon’s face grew warm. “You don’t mean that.”   
  
“Leon.” Raihan said. “Remember what we talked about? If I don’t mean it, then I wouldn’t say it.”

Leon’s face grew warmer. 

Raihan laughed and peppered his face with a few kisses.   
  
“I’ll go shopping with you tomorrow, alright?”

Leon kissed Raihan back, the ability to freely show his affection not having lost its novelty. 

“Alright.” He said back.

* * *

The week after that, Leon opened the Battle Tower to all trainers from across the region. And he debuted in his new uniform. 

The public loved his new look, but more importantly, they loved the Battle Tower. 

The amount of trainers that came on opening day far surpassed Leon’s expectations, and the expectations of his PR team. 

Maybe they came to catch a glimpse of the former Champion. Maybe they were looking for a challenge. Regardless, Leon smiled and battled for them all. 

And leon finally understood what it meant to make something for himself. There were still issues and concerns, of course, but none of them were from the need to be perfect. He was allowed to make mistakes, and he was allowed to lose. 

It was amazing.

And at the end of his very first day at the Battle Tower, one final challenger appeared.

“Nice place you got here.” Raihan said. 

He came to a stop across from Leon. 

“I was wondering if the manager of the Battle Tower himself could spare some time for a lowly challenger like me.”   
  
Leon smirked and bowed. “Anything one of my honored guests.”

* * *

That night, after Leon won his final match, Raihan decided to stay for the night. Leon was standing in the bathroom connected to the bedroom now. They were just about to go to bed, and he was wearing looser clothes than usual. The edge of his tattoo was visible beneath the hem of his athletic shorts.

But his confidence from the day had faded. In its place was the sensation of Butterfree in his stomach. Despite his nerves, he was determined to go through with this. He could do this. Raihan had given him so much, Leon felt like he had to repay him in some way. And if Raihan was going to be with him, he deserved to eventually know the type of body he was getting.

Leon closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before leaving the bathroom. He found Raihan sitting cross-legged on their bed, scrolling through his phone. He looked up, smile fading.

“Leon? You okay?”

Leon nodded and sat down on the bed next to Raihan.

“I wanted you to see.” He said.

“Oh.” Raihan’s eyes widened. He set down his phone. “Are you sure?”   
  
Leon nodded. “Yeah.”

The only light in the room was coming from the lamp on Leon’s nightstand. It bathed the bedroom in a soft, golden light. But the low light made it feel more bearable, more intimate, and less like Leon was exposing himself. 

He took a deep breath. 

The first thing he showed Raihan was the tattoo. 

He didn’t miss the brief flash of undiluted rage in Raihan’s eyes for the first second he stared at it. Leon hurried to cover it, afraid it was too much, too ugly, when Raihan stopped him.

His face was almost hauntingly expressionless. 

He kissed Leon, urged him to lay down on the bed. Then he lifted Leon’s hand from his thigh. He traced the outline of the massive red and white roses that marked Leon’s lower hip and upper thigh. 

“Rai?” Leon asked. 

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he should have waited longer. 

But Rai slowly lowered himself until Leon could feel his breath on his skin. Then Raihan pressed a kiss to Leon’s hip, just above the waistband of his shorts. 

He didn’t say anything at all, but Leon nearly started crying. 

“Thank you,” Raihan said, voice barely louder than a whisper, “For letting me see.”

Leon swallowed. “There’s more.”

Raihan’s eyes flickered with something. Maybe anger. Maybe disgust. He said, “You don’t have to show me if you don’t want to.” 

Leon shook his head. “No, it’s alright.”

He took Raihan’s hands in his own, slipping them under his shirt. 

Raihan squeezed his waist. The feeling of those warm, callused hands made him shiver. Raihan’s hands traveled upward, past the ribs that Leon didn’t need to tense his stomach to reveal. (He had lost so much weight in the last months of his marriage.)

Leon held onto Raihan’s forearms when he reached his chest. 

“They’re not real. Not completely.” Leon said.

He knew he was famous online for two things: his career and his body. He knew all the parts of him that people liked to stare at. 

“He made me get implants.” 

Raihan didn’t speak for a moment. But his eyes narrowed just a little bit.    
  
Leon was certain he could feel Raihan’s grip tighten. 

“If- if you don’t like them, I can get surgery to remove them.” Leon said quickly. “I can do that, it won’t be a problem.”

Raihan still didn’t say anything. Dread started to build in Leon’s stomach.

“Or, if you like them, I can keep them...”

Raihan’s eyes flickered toward his face. 

“Leon?”

“...Yes?”   
  
“Do  _ you _ like them?”

Leon stared. 

And he was suddenly so very aware of his own body. The way he was leaning back against the pillows. Raihan braced above him. All his exposed skin. 

“What do you mean?”   


Raihan’s hands pulled away, but Leon found himself missing his touch. 

“Do you want them, or do you want to remove them?"

Leon bit his lip and turned his head to the side. 

“I didn’t like them at first, but I got used to them.”   
  
“That doesn’t answer the question.”   
  
Raihan laid down next to Leon, partly on top of him, turning Leon’s head to look back at him. Leon couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He covered Raihan’s hand with his own.

“I think… I don’t think I like them, but I hate the idea of surgery more.”   
  
Leon’s fist twisted in the fabric of his shirt. 

It was dumb and he knew it. Getting them removed would make him happy, but Leon hated the idea of another doctor prodding inside of him, changing him. 

Raihan nodded, leaning closer to kiss him.

When he pulled away, he said, “Whatever you want to do, you know I’ll be there for you.”

Leon wished he wasn’t as close to crying as he was. 

“Are you sure?”

There was still so much Leon hadn’t told him about yet. His nose, his eyes, his lips. Leon felt like he was lying to Raihan. This wasn’t his body, this was a product of Rose’s lust.

Raihan urged Leon closer, rolling over so he was resting against Raihan’s chest.

“Yeah, babe. I never fucking cared about what you looked like. You’ve always been my pretty boy.”

Leon blinked. He hadn’t heard that nickname in a long time. He probably would have hated it if it were coming from someone other than Raihan, but it almost made him smile. 

Leon closed his eyes, the dread in his stomach ebbing away. He had forgotten how kind love could be. 

He inhaled and exhaled through his nose, smelling traces of Raihan’s sandalwood soap. He liked anything that wasn’t the sickly sweet fragrance of flowers, but he especially liked whatever Raihan wore. 

“Rai?”   
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“Thank you.” 

Raihan leaned over to turn off the lamp. The room was plunged into darkness, but moonlight shone through the curtains. 

“You don’t have to thank me.” He said. 

Raihan pressed a kiss to the corner of his eye. 

“Night, Leon.”   


Leon smiled. “Goodnight, Rai.”   



	20. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's finally finished. When I first started this fic, I had no idea how much passion I'd be pouring into it, or how many people would end up loving it. The concept for this fic started only as a vague idea in my head that spiraled out of control, but in the best of ways. And I can say that this is absolutely one my favorite stories that I've ever written. 
> 
> Thank u to everyone who supported me and read this fic! Please enjoy this last chapter :)

Leon couldn’t resist smiling as his train came to a stop. He shouldered his duffle bag and stepped off, eyes scanning the station. Toward the exit, he could see Raihan waiting for him. There were a few people crowded around him, clearly not Hammerlocke locals if they were this excited to see Raihan out in public. Still, Rai was laughing as he took photos for them, smiling with his teeth bared. 

Leon caught his eye as he made his way through the crowd. He straightened up, saying something to his fans as he waved them goodbye.

“Hey, Rai.” 

Raihan tried to lean down as Leon approached him, but Leon braced a palm against his shoulder. 

“Rai! Not in public.” 

But he couldn’t hold back the soft laugh that slipped past his lips. He hadn’t stayed with Raihan in a while, both of them too busy to spare a weekend. But with the League season over, Raihan’s schedule was starting to clear up. So Leon had boarded the earliest train possible to Hammerlocke to spend the weekend together. 

It was also cute to see Raihan pout for him in person again.

“Leon, I haven’t seen you in person for over a month! You know I missed you.”

So as they walked out of the train station and into the early afternoon sun, Leon let Raihan hold his hand and lace their fingers together. Leon tried to dress discreetly, with his hair tucked into his jacket and a different cap from his usual one, but he decided if he was with Raihan he might as well enjoy it. 

They mostly talked about work, sharing news about the Battle Tower and Gym until they reached Raihan’s flat. 

Once inside, Leon said, “Oh, Rai, I went to my dietician this morning.”

“And?” 

“I’m almost at my goal weight! Just have to gain a little bit more before I finally hit it.”

Raihan gasped, squeezing Leon in a hug and spinning him around.

“Babe! That’s amazing!” 

He set Leon down and leaned in for another kiss. And this time, Leon let him. Though, he was smiling just a bit too much to properly kiss back.

“I’m so proud of you,” Rai said. He pressed a line of kisses down Leon’s cheek and neck. 

Leon laughed from the sensation, his shoulders tensing.

“Rai!”

“What? I’m celebrating!”

Leon swatted at his hands, escaping from Raihan’s hold. 

“Yeah, well you can ‘celebrate’ after dinner tonight. Because I’m not letting you mark up my neck before our date again.”

Raihan raised an eyebrow. “What about after?” 

Leon quickly looked away. “Maybe.”

He picked his bag off the floor to drop it off in Raihan’s bedroom. Though, Leon’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of them  _ celebrating _ after their date. Yes, he’d gotten more comfortable with himself, but he only just stopped feeling repulsed at the sight of his own body in reflections and photos. 

Raihan had been so patient with him too. Despite the occasional wandering hands or the way he sometimes nipped at Leon’s collarbones, he refused to do anything Leon wasn’t comfortable with. (It had taken him time to get used to that sort of patience, too.)

Leon returned to the sitting room to find Raihan on the couch, his newest Trapinch headbutting his leg for attention.

“Hey, boy.” Leon said. He knelt down, giving the Trapinch a scratch under its chin. 

He coed, “Oh, you’re getting so big! I bet you’re gonna evolve soon, aren’t you?” 

“Oh please, he’d much rather eat my leftovers than do any battling.” Raihan said.

He reached over and scooped the little guy into his arms. Leon laughed as he flopped down on the couch. Raihan’s Trapinch wriggled out of his arms so it could crawl onto Leon’s lap. He smirked at Raihan, giving the Pokemon another scratch.

“Traitor.” Raihan muttered. 

Leon snorted and laughed.

* * *

That night, at dusk, Raihan took him to one of Hammerlocke’s finest restaurants. They sat in the low-lit restaurant under the glow of a single golden light, candle light reflecting in Raihan’s bright blue eyes. 

Rai placed his hand on the table in a silent offering. And Leon accepted, placing his own hand over Rai’s. 

“Arceus, I missed you.” Raihan said. 

“I know, but we’re here now.” Leon held up his glass of champagne. “So happy anniversary, Rai.”   
  
Raihan picked up his own glass and clinked it against Leon’s. “Happy one year, babe.”

Leon sipped his champagne and set his glass down. He smiled as their meals arrived.

A year ago, he never would have envisioned something like this happening. Being able to go where he wanted and when, and even having the choice of who he was with. For so long, he assumed his entire life would revolve around Rose. 

But here he was now. And one of the best parts? The littlest thing that meant the world to Leon?   
  
Raihan smiled as their dessert arrived. Berry cheesecake for Leon, and chocolate cake for Raihan. Rai cut into his cake with his fork, but offered the first bite out Leon. With just the lightest touch to Raihan’s wrist to steady it, Leon wrapped his lips around Raihan’s fork. 

It wasn’t just the desserts, though. It was the fact that it was  _ Raihan _ serving him desserts and it was  _ Raihan _ who watched as Leon ate (and held down) his cheesecake. Leon wouldn’t have bothered with dessert at all unless it was Raihan who convinced him to order something. 

Leon held his fork out, offering some of his cheesecake to Raihan. 

Raihan accepted, licking the cream off his lips. But his eyes indicated that he was still hungry. 

And maybe Leon was too.

On the taxi ride back to Raihan’s place, Leon felt an arm wrap around his waist, squeezing his hip and urging him closer to Raihan. 

He laughed at how quickly Raihan pulled him inside his flat. 

“Dinner’s over,” Raihan said as he wrapped his arms around Leon’s waist. He nipped at Leon’s neck. “Can we celebrate now?”

Leon’s breath caught in his throat. Still, he grinned and grabbed Raihan’s jacket, tugging it off of him.

“Fuck yes.”

It was all the encouragement Raihan needed.    
  
They kicked off their shoes and lost their jackets on the way to the bedroom. 

Leon let out a soft grunt as he fell back onto the bed. He adjusted himself to lean against the pillows as Raihan followed after him. Raihan undid Leon’s tie and unbuttoned his shirt, making Leon shiver from the glide of those callused fingers against his skin. Leon took his shirt off the rest of the way as Raihan undid his own buttons.

Raihan had seen Leon’s body before, but this time felt so much more different. There were more parts of him that Leon loved than hated, more that he was proud of than loathed. 

Still, Leon couldn’t resist shrinking in on himself under those intense blue eyes. Slowly, Raihan pressed a trail of kisses from Leon’s throat, before travelling down his neck. Leon could smell his cologne and the lingering scent of a sandstorm on Raihan’s skin.

He tensed as Raihan nipped at his collarbone before he reached Leon’s chest. Leon gasped from the puff of warm air against his skin, hands clenching the sheets beneath him as his heart started beating faster.

Raihan’s eyes flickered back up to meet Leon’s. He smirked, sending a warm spark down Leon’s spine.

Then Raihan quickly sealed his lips against the side of Leon’s pec and blew the loudest, wettest raspberry imaginable. 

Leon immediately jerked away, voice higher than he would have liked as he made a sound awfully like a squeal. 

_ “Rai-!” _

Raihan laughed and sat back, raising his arms to protect himself as Leon hit him with a pillow. 

“Babe, okay, I’m sorry-”   
  
“You better be!”    
  
Why was Leon’s face so warm? 

He tried to pout at Raihan returned to hover over him. But it was doing nothing, if the lingering amusement in Raihan’s eyes was any indication.

“Okay, Leon, I’m sorry. But you’re taking this so seriously.”

He put one hand on Leon’s hip, gently rubbing. 

“I want you to enjoy yourself.”   
  
Leon crossed his arms over his chest. (More so to protect his vulnerable chest than out of anger.)

Raihan’s eyes flickered downward. “How about I make it up to you?”   
  
“What?”   
  
Raihan placed one hand on Leon’s thigh, giving him a light squeeze.    
  
“I wanna make you feel good.”   
  
Leon exhaled through his nose. 

He suddenly lost his voice, but he nodded. Raihan smiled and immediately started to undo Leon’s belt. Leon braced his elbows against the bed and lifted his hips, shimmying out of his pants with Raihan’s help. 

And he became very aware of how exposed he was now, his whole body on display. But Raihan stared at him like he was the most beautiful thing in the world. Not quite like Rose, who saw Leon as a treasure to be hoarded. Raihan looked at him with something akin to awe.

“Can I?” He asked.

Leon nodded again. 

Raihan quickly coated his hand with lube from the nightstand, and Leon gasped as his hand wrapped around his cock. It always felt different from his own hand, and especially different from Rose. 

But in the few times they’ve done this, Raihan always sought out Leon’s pure, undiluted pleasure. And he had learned what made Leon’s eyes flutter shut and what made his toes curl. 

Raihan circled the head of Leon’s cock with his thumb, making Leon’s breath hitch. 

Raihan started stroking him faster, making Leon moan louder. His hips twitched, searching for more of Raihan’s touch.

He didn’t even realize what was happening before it started. 

Raihan’s hand disappeared for a second. Leon opened his eyes, confused, then gasped as Raihan took his cock into his mouth.

Leon bucked his hips, but Raihan pressed him back onto the mattress. Raihan started bobbing his head, making Leon see stars. 

He had only ever done this to others. He never knew what it felt like himself. 

(Maybe he had always been eager to pleasure Raihan first, to make sure his partner was satisfied before himself.)

Leon’s hands twisted into the sheets, his hips trying to nudge deeper into Raihan’s mouth. 

“Rai- Raihan-” 

Raihan pulled back far enough to swirl his tongue around the head of his cock. Leon gasped, stomach tensing as heat began to pool in his belly. 

“Fuck- please...”

He looked down, making eye contact with Raihan. Despite the tears pricking his eyes, Raihan’s eyes nearly glowed in the moonlight. 

Then Raihan swallowed Leon’s cock until his nose was pressed against Leon’s pelvis. 

Leon choked on a moan. His eyes rolled back in his head as he came, unloading in Raihan’s throat. 

Maybe Leon spaced out for a few seconds after that. Because the next thing he felt was Raihan’s chest rising and falling as he laughed. Leon looked down, finding Raihan pressed against his side. 

“Did you like it?” He asked, with a grin that was half shit-eating and half genuine. 

Leon leaned over and kissed Raihan, making him drop his grin.

“Yes, actually.”

His whole face flushed as he looked away. “Thanks, Rai.”   
  
“Babe, you don’t have to thank me. Besides,” Raihan grinded his still clothed cock against Leon’s hip, “We could still have some more fun.”

Leon got an idea. He pushed Raihann onto his back and rolled on top of him.

He grinded his ass against Raihan’s cock, relishing the way Raihan’s eyes widened.

He smiled. “If you say so.”

* * *

Leon woke up slowly. Not to the sound of his alarm clock or his phone going off, but from the sound of someone stirring next to him. He opened his eyes, the morning sunlight filtering in through the gap in the curtains. Raihan was still asleep, his bare chest rising and falling steadily. 

And the reality of their situation dawned on Leon. He and Raihan had been together for over a year now. Over three-hundred and sixty five days. And nothing had gone wrong. 

Leon was thriving at the Battle Tower. Raihan was still revered as the top Gym Leader in the region. 

And Rose was nowhere in sight. 

Leon propped himself up on his elbows and leaned over. He kissed Raihan’s forehead, his nose, the corner of his eye. Raihan stirred again, eyes fluttering open. He gave Leon a lopsided grin.

“Morning, babe.”

“Morning, Rai.”

Leon flopped back onto the bed, letting Raihan card his fingers through his hair. They didn’t have anything to do that day, and Leon was content to lay in bed with Raihan as long as possible. 

Rai asked, “Did you sleep well?”   
  
And Leon nodded. He slept better- had been sleeping better- than he did in a long time. 

Leon closed his eyes, enjoying Raihan’s touch and the warmth between them.

This was actually his life now. Leon could have as many of these sweet, quiet mornings as he wanted. He could have as much time with his family and his friends and with Raihan as he wanted. 

Leon smiled faintly. Maybe life could be kind to him after all. 


End file.
